Lamborghini’s combustion engine models are sold out until the end of production, its chief executive was quoted as saying in the WELT newspaper on Wednesday, as the luxury carmaker transitions towards a pure hybrid lineup. Order books for the Hurucan and Urus models are full, marking the end of combustion engine vehicle production for the company, Stephan Winkelmann, head of the Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) subsidiary, said. He added that Lamborghini’s plan to “transition to a fully electric car from a gasoline-powered model by 2024” is on track.
Winkelmann stressed that the company’s plans would continue to focus on delivering dream cars that over-exceed expectations, regardless of the power source under the hood. The Urus SUV, which debuted in 2018, is a good example. Powered by a twin-turbocharged V8 that generates 657 horsepower, the SUV can rocket from 0 to 60 in just 3.3 seconds. It can also reach a top speed of 190 miles per hour. Its EPA-estimated fuel economy is 14 mpg combined (12 city/17 highway).
But it will be challenging for Lamborghini to maintain such a balance. The world’s strictest emissions regulations, which will soon see some states and the entire EU ban vehicles with internal combustion engines, make it nearly impossible for high-displacement gasoline engines to meet them, especially when they are as powerful as Lamborghini’s.
The company’s plan for the future is to keep that raucous, mechanical soundtrack alive through electrification, with plug-in hybrids and engines burning low-emission synthetic fuel two candidates canvassed as long-term options. The former will keep the classic V12 engine’s performance intact while reducing emissions, while the latter could be a way to circumvent bans on traditional gasoline altogether.
Towards that end, the company’s state-of-the-art supercapacitor energy storage device is being adapted for use in an all-electric Lamborghini vehicle. The system, already used in the Huracan Super Trofeo Omologata, weighs only 34 kilograms and charges three times faster than a lithium-ion battery. It could be combined with a smaller, less-powerful battery to provide a range of over 200 miles.
In the meantime, Lamborghini will continue to produce a few more conventionally powered cars, including the Aventador S and the upcoming Urus SVJ Roadster. It’s yet to be determined whether those will have the new electric drivetrain, but it seems likely that any EVs will be based on existing platforms.
The company’s move to a full-electric future will be executed in what Lamborghini describes as a three-phase strategy. The first will allow it to let itself “celebrate the combustion engine” before introducing a rapid transition to a fully electric lineup in the second phase. Lamborghini says it will be able to keep a few gas burners in the lineup in versions that pay tribute to the brand’s “glorious history and iconic products past and present.” This first phase will occur between 2021 and 2022 and include introducing new V12-powered models.
