Ferrari's e-building, the factory that will produce internal combustion engined cars, hybrids and the Prancing Horse's first electric model, was inaugurated on June 24.
Through the e-building, the brand is enhancing its production flexibility in line with its strategy of prioritising revenue quality over quantity.
The plant also reflects the principle of technological neutrality, as it will house the production and development of internal combustion engines, hybrid engines and new electric motors, each capable of delivering Ferrari's signature driving excitement.
The integration of the production of the entire range
in a single building will allow Ferrari to reorganise and reallocate all
production activities more efficiently among its existing facilities in
Maranello, increasing its ability to adapt quickly to production needs.
The e-building, a facility equipped with
state-of-the-art technology, will also produce the strategic electrical
components that are highly relevant to differentiating Ferrari's technology and
performance: high-voltage batteries, electric axles and electric motors.
The building, designed to achieve the highest levels of energy performance, is powered – among other sources – by more than 3,000 solar panels installed on the roof that produce 1.3 MW.
Several cutting-edge solutions have been adopted to
reuse energy and rainwater in the production cycle. For example, more than 60
per cent of the energy used for battery and motor testing will be recovered in
accumulators and redirected to power new processes.
Manufacturing processes are equipped with collaborative robots, which adapt their behavior according to the operator's needs, and digital twins, which create a digital replica of products and processes.
These solutions make it possible to put technology under the control
of and at the service of employees, whose role is thus further elevated within
the production process with the goal of ensuring the excellence and attention
to detail that distinguishes the Ferrari range.
In the facility, various solutions have also been
designed to improve the well-being of people in the work environment: ergonomic
workstations, relaxation areas, acoustic and visual comfort, and the correct
mix of natural and artificial lighting are some of the aspects that are the
most beneficial.
The e-building is a confirmation of Ferrari's central
role in the local industrial landscape – a role reinforced by continuous
investments made in tune with the specific needs of the local community.
The integration of the building into the urban context
was perfected through an urban redevelopment of more than 100,000 square metres
and a redesign of the road infrastructure. In fact, a road serving the site and
a 1.5-kilometre bike path connected to the town’s network have also been built.
The exterior façades and main
interior spaces of the e-building were designed by MCA – Mario Cucinella
Architects, a firm at the forefront of the development of sustainable solutions
and urban regeneration, in synergy with the Ferrari team.
Rectangular in shape and 25 metres high, the new
building is in harmony with the landscape and surrounding buildings and is
recognisable for a façade with a tailor-made, highly efficient “skin”. The
choice of opaline glazing, interspersed with portions of clear glass,
attenuates the building's imposing visual mass and allows for natural light to
be distributed within it, while at night it resembles a glowing lantern.