Maranello, June 21, 2024 - The e-building, the factory
that will produce internal combustion-engined cars, hybrids and Ferrari's first
electric model, will be inaugurated today in the presence of Italian President
Sergio Mattarella. Welcoming him will be Chairman John Elkann, Vice Chairman
Piero Ferrari, CEO Benedetto Vigna and representatives of the Ferrari workforce.
Production flexibility
Through the e-building, Ferrari 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 motors and axles.
Focus on the environment
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. With the shutdown of
the trigeneration plant [[1]], scheduled for the end of the year, the building will be powered
entirely by renewable energy, generated from both internal and external sources
with a guarantee of origin. [[2]]
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.
The plant was built north of the Ferrari campus, which is being expanded. The area was acquired and redeveloped without additional land consumption by replacing obsolete and energy-dispersive industrial structures.
The focus on people
The training and well-being of workers was a priority
in the design of the building, which houses a dedicated training space.
The training path for people selected for the new
lines began two years ago, with the aim of delving into the skills and
processes that are needed for the new systems and products, as well as
strengthening knowledge related to the electric motor. In full continuity and
synergy with the mechanical and electronic skills that have always been
Ferrari's heritage, additional competencies, for example in chemistry and
battery assembly production processes, have been developed.
Manufacturing processes are equipped with
collaborative robots, which adapt their behaviour 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.
Focus on the community
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 road design, in particular, ensures heavy traffic is concentrated to an area around the e-building logistics hub, reducing its intrusion on pedestrian routes.
The architectural design
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.
The components of the façade were designed and manufactured according to Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) logic, in order to facilitate their on-site assembly and maintenance operations. This enabled cost efficiency and reduced environmental impact related to the materials and processes used.
[1] Since 2009, Ferrari has generated electricity, hot and cold water with an in-house trigeneration plant, which was joined in 2022 by the 1 MW solid oxide fuel cell plant for power generation. In 2023, these two plants produced 67 percent of the Maranello factory's energy needs, with renewable resources covering the remaining 33 percent. In 2023, the trigeneration plant produced 95 GWh of electricity. Shutting down this plant – due by the end of 2024 – will dramatically reduce gas consumption and emissions, marking significant progress in Ferrari's decarbonization plan (Scope 1&2).
[2] Ferrari has reduced Scope 1 and 2
emissions in 2023 versus 2021 by 16%:
+2.4 MWp
extra capacity of photovoltaic panels in the Maranello plant compared to 2021
-6.4 million smc of natural gas purchased 2023 vs. 2021