Ferrari 'very pleased' with orders for Luce EV, CEO says

(Refiles to correct story number, no change to text)

MILAN, July 30 (Reuters) - Ferrari is happy with how customers are responding to its first fully electric car, CEO Benedetto Vigna said on Thursday, after the slew of negative reviews that the model attracted at launch.

The luxury sports car maker unveiled the divisive €550,000 ($631,000) Luce in May. It is a five-seat, four-door saloon that marks a radical departure from Ferrari's traditional aesthetics and roaring petrol engine heritage.

Presenting second quarter results, Vigna said that, two months after the launch, the company was "very pleased with how orders are proceeding".

"It's in line with our expectations. Clients who put orders in are both existing and new ones, and this too is in line with our expectations," he told reporters, adding that the Luce had not changed Ferrari's future EV plans.

"When clients see the car, they're really enthusiastic and happy," Vigna said, dismissing suggestions that Ferrari was resorting to aggressive marketing or pressure on loyal customers to push sales.

"It's a product they have to buy if they love it, if they have a genuine interest in it," he said.

Ferrari has already hit the Luce's 2026 annual sales target of just under 500 units thanks to strong demand from China, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Vigna on Thursday said interest for the model was evenly spread around the world.

"Of course some countries might be more used to EVs, but we're not seeing a specific pattern," he said.

($1 = 0.8717 euros)

(Reporting by Giulio Piovaccari, editing by Alvise Armellini)