Maserati GranTurismo EV teased as Tesla Roadster rival starts testing

Maserati is going electric, and while the automaker may not be quite ready to show off the GranTurismo EV, that hasn't stopped it from teasing the first prototype. It'll be the first all-electric car from Maserati, rebooting the existing GranTurismo nameplate which was retired in 2019.

That car was notable not least for its curvaceous styling, but Maserati's use of a Ferrari-sourced V8 engine. That all came to a halt in early 2019, though, when Ferrari announced – having been spun out from FCA – it would be cutting off Maserati's supply.

Maserati has been talking about electrification for some time now, and even teased what that might look like. The glorious Maserati Alfieri coupe concept of 2014 was resurrected as the basis of a concept EV in 2018, and the automaker had even said it planned to build a production model in 2020. That, of course, failed to transpire.

Last year, the automaker switched to talking about the return of the Maserati GranTurismo. The styling would probably pick up on elements of the Alfieri, Maserati said, but it would be a grand tourer that would sit alongside the more purist MC20 sports car.

Today, Maserati revealed a handful of shots of the current EV prototype, though is still playing coy with exact details. "The new Maserati GranTurismo will be the Brand's first car to adopt a 100% electric solution," the automaker confirmed. "Ahead of the launch of the new model, the prototype cars are currently undergoing a period of intensive road and circuit testing, in various conditions of use, to acquire vital data for the preparation of the final setup."

As with any prototype, it's dangerous to read too much into what we see here. For a start, there's every chance that the camouflaged bodywork could well change before the production model is finalized. Detailing like lights, vents, and other components could well evolve too.

Nonetheless, the idea of a two-door Maserati EV is an appealing one. While electrification is spreading throughout the auto industry, coupes have been fairly late to join the party, not least because of the challenges of fitting sufficient battery packs into a smaller, lighter vehicle without sacrificing performance or range. For that reason, though multiple sports hybrids have been announced, pure-electric coupes are still MIA.

Maserati's likely main competitor is the new Tesla Roadster, of course, though that comparison may only really apply in as much as they're both two-door EVs. The Tesla is currently open for reservations, with a $200,000 price tag, though production is still yet to begin; last Elon Musk mentioned it, that was scheduled for 2022. Maserati hasn't given any indication of when the new GranTurismo EV will be officially revealed, when it might go into production, or how much it might cost.