Hybrid Ferraris have outsold purely petrol-powered models for the first time in a boost for the Italian marque as it prepares to launch its first electric vehicle.
51pc of Ferraris sold between July and September were fitted with battery packs, the company said, in a milestone moment for the industry.
Ferrari is thought to be the first for a major sports car maker to cross the threshold, with rivals like Maserati and Aston Martin instead focusing on the shift to pure electric.
Hybrid cars describe any vehicle that has more than one power source but for most vehicles it is typically a petrol engine aided by a battery, which gathers power from a dynamo-type device when a car brakes. Ferrari has long used hybrid technology in Formula One.
Just four of its 13 current models are hybrid but a ramp-up in production of those cars helped them overtake sales of petrol models in the company’s most recent quarter. Three months before that, 43pc of sales were for hybrid models.
Hybrid sales at Ferrari were boosted by demand for its £376,048 SF90 Stradale as well as the 296 GTB and convertible GTS models, which start at £241,550.
Strong demand for hybrid models will be encouraging Ferrari, amid concerns across the industry about whether drivers will want to buy electric sports cars.
The chief executive of McLaren said earlier this year that drivers “cannot enjoy [themselves] at the weekend” in electric cars because of heavy batteries under the hood.
Ferrari has been working on technology to replicate the roar of a petrol engine in a quieter battery powered car as the company believes noise is a key appeal when driving a sports car.
Ferrari plans to have a pure electric model on sale by 2025.
The company sold 3,459 cars in the three months up September, up 9pc on the quarter. Revenue rose 24pc to €1.5bn (£1.3bn), growing faster than sales as buyers purchased pricier cars and opted for more add-ons and personalisation. Profit rose 46pc to €332m.
Benedetto Vigna, the car maker’s chief executive, said: “The order book remains at highest levels reflecting strong demand across all geographies.”
Ferrari’s shares rose 6pc. The company’s value has risen six fold since it was spun out of former owner Fiat Chrysler in 2015 and Ferrari is now worth €59bn.
