Maserati Rolls Out First Fully Electric Vehicle

Even Maserati is accepting the fact that electric cars are the future. 

The Italian luxury vehicle manufacturer recently unveiled its first fully electric vehicle, the Detroit News reports. The new GranTurismo will set you back about $195,000.

“With their buyers typically demanding the best in performance and technology, many luxury brands have come out as vanguards in electrification adoption,” Breana Noble writes for the news outlet. “The GranTurismo is a sign from Maserati that it's looking to catch up.”

The new model, developed from the Formula E, reportedly features 800-volt technology and three more than 300-kilowatt permanent magnet motors. Its battery is good for as much as 760 horsepower, according to the Detroit News.

Stellantis, the global vehicle manufacturer that owns the Maserati brand, has joined other major automakers in pushing to pull the plug on gas-powered vehicles. The company wants to have at least one fully electric offering in each of its brands by 2025 and go all-electric five years later.

General Motors, which was the first major manufacturer to announce an all-electric shift, has pledged to make all of its new offerings electric by 2035. Ford Motor Co. plans to make electric cars at least 40% of its annual vehicle sales by 2030. 

The shift has also been spurred by government authorities. California, for example, will ban the sale of new, gas-powered cars by 2035 under a new rule recently issued by the state’s Air Resources Board. That follows an executive order from Gov. Gavin Newsom, setting 2035 as a target to end the sale of new internal combustion engine cars.

Car Defects Endanger Lives

As automakers look to the electric vehicles of tomorrow, they are still having a hard time ensuring that the cars they produce today are actually safe to drive.

Stellantis and other major vehicle manufacturers recall millions of vehicles around the globe every year. They cite a broad range of defects that can increase the risk of accidents or make injuries more likely in the event of a collision.

In May, for instance, Maserati reportedly recalled certain MC20 “supercars” over faulty lamp assemblies that could cause rear brake lights to malfunction. Maserati reportedly recalled some Levante GT Hybrid vehicles in Korea a month later, citing defective battery cables.

How the California Lemon Law Works

Fortunately, California car owners have some valuable rights when it comes to defective and malfunctioning vehicles. The state’s lemon law generally requires carmakers to perform a wide range of repairs on vehicles while they are under warranty. 

Also known as the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, the law forces carmakers to buy back vehicles that they are unable or flat out refuse to fix. That means compensating the owner for the vehicle’s purchase price, as well as financing charges, rental car costs and other related expenses.

A car manufacturer can instead offer to replace the vehicle under the law. It is up to the owner, however, to decide whether to accept or reject this alternative arrangement. 

How Our Lawyers Can Help You

If you have been stuck with a defective or malfunctioning vehicle or are haggling with a car manufacturer over repairs, the California lemon lawyers at Bickel Sannipoli APC can help you fight back.  

Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with an attorney at our firm.