Lamborghini announced that this year is going to be its last for purely combustion engine vehicles. Starting next year, it will only introduce vehicles with electric motors – starting with hybrids and plug-in hybrids. The CEO also confirmed that the legendary automaker’s first all-electric vehicle is likely going to be a four-door.
For a long time, the Italian supercar maker has dismissed the idea of battery-electric vehicles being an option for high-performance cars.
In 2018, Lamborghini chief technical officer Maurizio Reggiani said about the brand making electric vehicles:
Our target is to deliver a super sports car, and these specifications don’t exist with a battery package in terms of energy and power.
The company has been proven wrong after Rimac brought the Nevara to market, Tesla made the Roadster prototype, and even Lamborghini’s own parent company, Volkswagen, made VW ID.R and broke several records with it.
Last year, Lamborghini finally broke and confirmed that it will bring an all-electric vehicle to market during the “second half of the decade.”
Today, the automaker revealed more details about its electrification plan to the media. CEO Stephan Winkelmann said that this year is going to be Lamborghini’s last for introducing new vehicles solely powered by combustion engines. Starting next year, the automaker will only launch HEVs, PHEVs, and eventually that all-electric (BEV) vehicle during the second half of the decade.
Speaking of that all-electric vehicle, Winkelmann says that Lamborghini is now leaning toward a four-door vehicle for “daily use.” But for now, the automaker will focus on hybrids.
Autocar asked Winkelmann if he thinks Lamborghini customers are ready for “electrified” vehicles:
For sure, they are ready for hybridisation because we always said we don’t need to be the first ones, but when we kick in, we need to be the best, and this is something we strongly believe is going to happen.
If you care about hybrids, the lineup will look something like this, according to the CEO’s new comments:
- Aventador Hybrid in 2023
- Urus Plug-in Hybrid in 2024
- Huracán Hybrid in 2025
- Unnamed all-electric model around 2028
Electrek’s Take
I understand that Lamborghini is operating in a vastly different market than most of the rest of the auto industry, but I feel like this is still a slow transition.
Electrification has enabled new players to enter the field, especially at the top end of the market. You now have companies like Rimac and Drako Motors. I think by 2025, there are going to be a lot of other compelling electric hypercars.
Lamborghini benefits from its strong brand name, but that will start to fade a few years into all-electric vehicles dominating the supercar/hypercar market, which I think will happen a few years before ~2028.
What do you think? Let us know in the comment section below.
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Author: Fred Lambert
Source: Electrek
