The forgotten Ferrari that was the brand's first-ever hybrid supercar

The Ferrari LaFerrari was the first production Ferrari with a hybrid engine, but there was another hybrid Ferrari that preceded it.

Back in 2010, Ferrari developed the 599 HY-KERS.

The prototype never made it to production.

But there’s a very good reason why this car was still hugely important for Ferrari.

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Why the Ferrari 599 HY-KERS is still a big deal for the brand

Back in 2010, Ferrari took one of its most advanced cars at the time, the Ferrari 599, and turned it into a hybrid.

They called it the 599 HY-KERS, a name inspired by the KERS system that F1 cars use to turn heat from braking into usable energy.

KERS, which stands for Kinetic Energy Recovery System, still counts as an electric unit because it converts kinetic energy into electricity.

The Ferrari 599 HY-KERS was powered by the same 620-horsepower 6.0-liter V12 as the standard car, but it also had a KERS unit.

The supercar put out 720 horsepower in total, because the electric unit gave it an extra 100 horsepower.

Nothing came of it but, a few years later, Ferrari used this prototype as a platform for the LaFerrari.

The first hybrid Ferrari

The Ferrari LaFerrari was unveiled in 2013 as the first production Ferrari with an electric engine.

It used a 6.3-liter V12 and one electric motor along with a KERS.

All three units, including the V12, are always on, so LaFerrari owners can never rely on EV power alone.

This was by design because, back then, Ferrari wasn’t really interested in electric cars per se.

Obviously, as we all know, that’s no longer the case and the Italian manufacturer is currently developing its first-ever EV.

If everything goes to plan, it should be here by 2026, even though there are also rumors it might be delayed.