Luxury sports car maker Ferrari has unveiled its first fully electric car - the $640,000 (£474,320) Luce, which is Italian for “light” and presumably not “please don't set it on fire, critics.”

The new model departs from the look of typical Ferraris as the Italian brand's first ever five-seater, created in collaboration with the LoveFrom agency founded by former Apple design chief Sir Jony Ive. Yes, the same guy who brought us the iPhone's rounded corners has now brought us a Ferrari that can fit a family of five, assuming that family has $640,000 to spare.

Responses on social media to the launch have ranged from describing it as “straight to the junkyard trash” to an “absolute masterclass in design” - a divide that neatly sums up the internet's ability to disagree about everything.

Supercar rivals like Lamborghini and Porsche have scaled back on their EV plans due to poor demand and intense competition from Chinese brands. Ferrari, ever the contrarian, has decided to charge ahead, perhaps hoping that its loyal customers will pay extra for the privilege of being called “polarising.”

Ferrari chief executive Benedetto Vigna said in Rome that the Luce has taken half a decade to develop - which, in Ferrari time, is roughly the equivalent of a coffee break. The company plans to roll out the electric vehicle after previously ruling out such a move, opting instead to make hybrid cars that are powered by both petrol and electricity. Ah, the sweet sound of corporate backtracking.

The Luce runs with a Ferrari-made electric motor on each wheel, helping the car to hit 60mph (96km/h) in around 2.5 seconds. That's fast enough to leave your dignity - and any Lamborghini - in the dust.

The firm said that all of the components are made in-house, so that the car can be repaired by the company well into the future, protecting the Luce's resale value. Translation: don't even think about taking this to your local mechanic.

The shift by motor industry giants to EVs has faced major obstacles in recent years. Carmakers including Ford and Volkswagen have doubled down on petrol cars, especially in the US, due to poor demand and regulatory changes under President Donald Trump, who has cut incentives for EV buyers. Because nothing says “clean energy future” like making clean energy more expensive.

The launch of Jaguar's electric concept car was heavily criticised for abandoning the British brand's classic styling. Ferrari's unveiling of Luce has faced similar criticism. One account on X said: “Ferrari just killed their brand just like Jaguar did. This is straight to the junkyard trash.” Another posted: “What is going on with European Luxury car manufacturers? First Jaguar and now Ferrari.”

But not all commentators felt negatively about the new car, with one post saying: “Absolute masterclass in design. Ferrari just unveiled the breathtaking LUCE concept, and it is a total game changer.” It's almost as if people have different opinions - a concept that may itself be polarising.

Ferrari's chief design officer Flavio Manzoni said in an interview with YouTuber Cleo Abram that critics are part of the innovation process. He acknowledged the concept of an electric Ferrari with a new design is “polarising” but believes people will appreciate it in months to come. Or, you know, they'll just keep yelling on social media. Either way, Ferrari wins.

Ferrari has also said it will continue to offer petrol and hybrid cars along with its all-electric vehicle. So if you don't want to be polarising, you can still buy the screaming V12 that your neighbors will hate for entirely different reasons.

Meanwhile, Ferrari's direct competitors have rolled back their EV ambitions. Lamborghini abandoned its plans to launch all-electric cars, pivoting to hybrid models instead, citing low demand for high-end luxury EVs. Germany's Porsche has scaled back its EV plans due to weak demand, caught between poor sales in China and tariffs in the US.

Western carmakers have also faced intense competition from Chinese carmakers, which are able to produce vehicles faster and more cheaply. Ferrari, however, is Europe's most valuable carmaker. It relies on selling highly exclusive cars - a strategy that has helped to shield Ferrari from much of the pressure faced by rivals. After all, when you're charging $640,000 a pop, you only need to sell a few.

Yet Ferrari's shares have dropped by more than 25% over the past year, mirroring a wider slump across luxury brands as inflation around the world has shaken demand for high-end goods. So maybe the Luce is a gamble, or maybe it's just a very expensive way to find out if Ferrari's customers care about the planet as much as they care about looking cool.