• Ferrari wants to keep the engine alive in the electric era
• Synthetic fuel might be how Ferrari keeps the internal combustion engine alive
• Ferrari’s already working on its first EV

One of the biggest allures of a Ferrari is the sound of the car’s engine.

The maker of some of the world’s most desirable supercars and now also an SUV understands that the aural emotion created by one of its V-8 or V-12 engines cannot be matched by an electric vehicle. As a result it may turn to carbon-neutral alternatives to gasoline like synthetic e-fuel or even hydrogen to keep the internal-combustion engine alive against the backdrop of stricter emissions rules, its CEO has revealed.

In an interview with Autocar published on Tuesday, Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna said, “We believe there is still a valid way forward for ICE cars and this is going to be supported by the development of carbon-neutral fuel.”

He also revealed that Ferrari is already working with partners in the e-fuel industry to prepare for a potential switch to e-fuels in Formula 1 as soon as 2026. The sport will introduce a 100% sustainable fuel in F1 by the 2026 season, and the leading solution is the use of e-fuel. Saudi Arabian oil giant Aramco, a leading sponsor of F1, is part of the team looking to develop e-fuel for use in motorsports, and eventually road cars.

Vigna also revealed that Ferrari is looking at hydrogen, though he doesn’t expect it to become widely available before 2030. Like with e-fuels, he said hydrogen will be trialed first in motorsports.

The first hydrogen-powered racing series, Extreme H, is due to start competition next year. The off-road racing series will feature race cars powered by electric motors drawing energy from a combination of a hydrogen fuel cell and a battery.

However, a racing series using hydrogen engines might not be far off. Organizers of the 24 Hours of Le Mans are looking to introduce a class for hydrogen-powered cars as soon as 2026, and at this years Le Mans a number of concepts were on display. Le Mans contenders like Alpine and Toyota have already shown hydrogen-powered race car concepts, and others like Porsche and even Ferrari are thought to be planning something similar. Patents reveal that Ferrari has already started some development of hydrogen-powered engines.

Separately, Ferrari is working on its first EV. It’s due late next year and is tipped to be another SUV.