Ferrari’s inaugural electric model fetches $40 million at Monterey auction

Ferrari’s first production electric vehicle, the Luce, was sold for $40 million at RM Sotheby’s Monterey auction on Saturday night, far surpassing the pre-sale estimate of $1.1 million. The chassis, identified as ZFF21BUA8T0338000 and labeled “Chassis 0,” is the inaugural unit of the Luce program and was offered without a reserve price, with the buyer’s premium waived, making the hammer price the total donation amount.

The one-off Tailor Made build features a “Madreperla Semi-Gloss” paint that shifts from green to violet, Le Mans metallic leather interior with new color accents, bespoke wheels, custom calipers and a prancing horse motif in optical white. Although the buyer will not receive the car immediately, it will return to Maranello for final assembly with delivery slated for the first quarter of 2027.

All proceeds are directed to the Ferrari Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization that supports educational initiatives. RM Sotheby’s confirmed the result on its X account shortly after the sale.

The transaction sets a new benchmark for the brand’s charitable auctions. In August of the previous year, a one-off Daytona SP3 sold for $26 million at the same venue, also benefiting the foundation. Earlier, a unique LaFerrari Aperta fetched $10 million in 2017 for earthquake relief.

For context, RM Sotheby’s sold a 1962 250 GTO for $48.4 million in 2018, one of the highest prices ever recorded at public auction. The Luce’s list price is €550,000 (about $640,000), positioning it well below other high-priced electric models such as the Rimac Nevera and Pininfarina Battista, which range from $2.2 million to $2.5 million.

The Luce’s launch in Rome earlier this year faced criticism, including a dip in Ferrari’s stock and comments from former chairman Luca di Montezemolo questioning the model’s branding. Nevertheless, the entire 2026 allocation of just under 500 units sold out within two months before any deliveries were made, and the recent auction result underscores the model’s market impact despite the initial reception.