Lamborghini goes electric: Commits to hybrids, first EV on the way

Thoughts that iconic marque Lamborghini would be a last bastion of pure internal combustion are set to go up in smoke (pardon the pun) following confirmation from the brand that it will soon sell solely hybrid models.

Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann has announced that €1.5billion is going to be invested in switching the brand over from pure ICE to electrification, with its entire range set to be plug-in hybrid based by 2024.

Alongside this, the firm has announced that its first fully electric model is in development. It will be an all-new model, sold alongside the Aventador, Huracan, and Urus. Lamborghini has issued a teaser image showing the silhouette of the new model — draped in black. The image points to the EV most likely being a two-door coupe.

It’s thought that the model is likely to be based on Volkswagen’s in-development Scalable System Platform architecture, which Veedub has previously said is likely to underpin around 80 per cent of its future products under all of its vast umbrella of brands.

“Lamborghini’s electrification plan is a newly-plotted course, necessary in the context of a radically-changing world, where we want to make our contribution by continuing to reduce environmental impact through concrete projects,” says Lamborghini CEO Stephane Winkelmann.

“Our response is a plan with a 360 degree approach, encompassing our products and our Sant’Agata Bolognese location, taking us towards a more sustainable future while always remaining faithful to our DNA.

“Lamborghini has always been synonymous with preeminent technological expertise in building engines boasting extraordinary performance: this commitment will continue as an absolute priority of our innovation trajectory.”

By 2025, Lamborghini’s CO2 emissions are hoped to have been chopped in half as a result of the changes. This aligns with similar announcements made by other manufacturers, as attention turns to how much carbon emissions each produce during the manufacturing process.

A send-off of sorts has been confirmed for Lamborghini’s illustrious V12. Two more V12 models are set to be launched before the end of the year, both of which will “pay homage to the brand’s glorious history and iconic products past and present” according to Winkelmann. The Aventador’s 2023 replacement is widely tipped to be the first of the new hybrid models.

While the announcement means the end of Lamborghini’s pure ICE past, it means that the brand has no end-date for the production of electrified internal combustion engines. Those who hold the marque particularly dear can probably breathe a sigh of relief.