Lamborghini Doesn't Think Electric Supercars will Catch On

Winkelmann sees an opportunity with combustion engines running on e-fuels.

Lamborghini Lanzador Concept (1)

Adrian Padeanu

By: Adrian Padeanu

May 21, 2024 at 4:42am ET

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Lamborghini’s first EV won't arrive until 2028—and it's not going to be a supercar. Instead, Lanzador will take the shape of a lifted 2+2 grand tourer with four seats. Something like a Huracan or Revuelto EV isn't on the agenda. Why? There's just no business case. The company's CEO believes electric supercars are selling poorly.

Speaking with Automotive News Europe, Lamborghini's head honcho Stephan Winkelmann argued electric supercars are "not something that is selling so far." He went on to mention this genre might never catch on: "It's too early, and we have to see down the road if and when this is going to happen."

Lamborghini Lanzador Concept (6)

It makes sense that Lamborghini still uses a V-12 in the Aventador's replacement while the Huracan successor will have gas power as well. However, the smaller of the two supercars is losing its naturally aspirated V-10 in favor of a newly developed twin-turbo V-8.

Supercars are for rich folk but Rimac CEO Mate Rimac recently admitted that high-end buyers don't want electric supercars. It's why the Nevera is still for sale, despite the hype around it and the limited production run of only 150 cars. The electric hypercar developed in Croatia set no fewer than 23 records last year, but it looks as though wealthy people weren't impressed enough to sign their names on the dotted line.

Bugatti is also keeping the internal combustion engine alive with its upcoming Chiron replacement. The Molsheim-based brand isn't even cutting the cylinder count. The new "French" beast will have a naturally aspirated V-16 engine as part of a hybrid setup.

Another elite brand currently staying away from full EVs is Pagani, despite working on the technology since 2018. It hasn't abandoned the R&D efforts but a production model is not coming anytime soon. Why? Batteries are still too heavy and that dilutes the driving experience.

However, not all supercar brands think this way. Ferrari is still on track to introduce a performance EV. It’s actually ahead of schedule with development, before launching the car in late 2025. Meanwhile, it's opening a new factory in Maranello next month. The site will build the company's electric models.

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Stricter emissions regulations are forcing automakers to transition to EVs but supercar makers are sticking with gas engines for as long as possible. Why? Because they know what their customers want, which is the emotion only a large-displacement ICE can deliver. EVs are significantly quicker but Stephan Winkelmann reckons it's not as thrilling as a high-revving gas engine mounted behind the seats.

Ideally, the Lamborghini supremo wants to save combustion engines by switching to e-fuels. The Italian exotic brand could leverage the advancements made by the Volkswagen Group brand Porsche in developing and producing nearly carbon-neutral synthetic fuels in Chile.

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Source: Automotive News Europe

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