Ferrari could race in Formula E in the future, but only if the technology behind the cars improves.
The all-electric racing series has already attracted a number of car manufacturers, with Jaguar joining this season, Audi set to enter a full factory outfit next season, BMW working closely with the Andretti Autosport team and Renault currently a two-times champion with its e.dams team. Mercedes announced last year that it has an option to race in 2018 and the head of Mercedes motorsport Toto Wolff labelled Formula E "very relevant in the future."
Despite the series' increasing popularity among mainstream manufacturers, Ferrari CEO Sergio Marchionne does not envision Maranello producing an all-electric racing car in the near future.
"The Formula E arrangement now, as much as I think it's tough to make technology relevant on the track, is still substantially short to what I would expect to have," he told a teleconference with investors. "I mean the fact that you have to change cars during the race is unhelpful simply because of the duration of the battery charges. And I think we need to find a better way of expressing the interest in electrification and Formula E.
"Having said this, we continue to look at it. And I think I've not given up on the idea of potentially one day entering -- if the parameters are such that Ferrari can effectively make a difference. If it cannot make a difference then it should not take part."
Under this season's Formula E regulations, the teams can develop their own powertrains, including Motor Generator Units and gearboxes. The battery is still provided by a single supplier, currently Williams Advanced Engineering, but McLaren Applied Technologies will take over the contract for the 2018/19 season with the aim of introducing a battery capable of completing a full race distance -- thus eliminating the mid-race car swap.
Ferrari has never produced an all-electric car, although the flagship LaFerrari has a hybrid powertrain not dissimilar to an F1 car's MGU-K system. From 2019 the Italian manufacturer is planning to introduce performance-boosting hybrid technology on all new models and it is also possible they will feature an all-electric setting for reducing emissions over short distances.