Lamborghini predicts electric supercars will be faster than petrol power

The Italian super-sports car company says it is developing hybrid and electric models to be quicker than its Huracan V10 and Aventador V12.

Hybrid and electric technology could drive a new golden era in performance motoring, surpassing the performance of today’s petrol-powered supercars – according to iconic Italian brand Lamborghini.

The President of Lamborghini, Stephan Winkelmann, says electrification opens new opportunities for the company — including its upcoming fourth model, believed to be an electric SUV smaller than the twin-turbo V8 Urus.

“I think that we will have a good chance in the years to come to prove that we could also be very, very good in terms of performance. Maybe even better than today,” Winkelmann told Drive during a video conference with global media.

“Electric cars poses a challenge we have to face and we have to accept.”

“What we have to prove as a super-sports car company is that we are not able only to go fast and accelerating in a longitudinal way, but also in a lateral way.

“So all the enabling behaviour is something we really have to look into and we have to develop, and this is on us.”

Lamborghini is also waiting to hear what happens on synthetic fuels — being developed by Porsche as the spearhead for the Volkswagen Group including Lamborghini — as Winkelmann is not convinced the electric roll-out in Europe will follow the current roadmap.

He believes there could be a delay — or even a backflip — on the outright banning of petrol and diesel engines, currently set for 2035 for major manufacturers and 2036 for smaller specialists including Lamborghini.

“If this ban is maybe going to be postponed or not accepted, it’s good for us. Synthetic fuels … this is an opportunity we see as valuable.”

Winkelmann was speaking as he reported the record sales and profitability results for the first half of 2022 which will help to drive the future-model programs at Lamborghini.

The company delivered 5090 cars by the end of June, up by 4.9 per cent over 2021, with a turnover of €1.3 billion (AU $1.9 billion).

“Finally, we have the most astonishing number, which is the operating profit of €425 million, which is better than the entire year of 2021,” said Winkelmann.

“The results we are having the last year, and also what we are going to have this year, is something for sure we need to further improve the stability of our company in the future.

“What we have said, in terms of our hybridization program for the years ’23 and ’24, is (it’s) the biggest investment we’ve ever made.

“It’s €1.8 billion, not even considering our model number four, which will be presumably on the market in 2028. Life-cyles are getting shorter, the technology is moving faster and everything is getting more expensive.”

Winkelmann said the current waiting time for a Lamborghini is around 18 months, regardless of model.

“We have to see how long this exceptional run for super-sports is going to last, which is incredible, even higher than the pre-COVID situation.

“We have a very, very good image and we are selling every month more than we can produce. We need to have a constant but very controlled growth, not to get into the temptation of running for the peaks.”

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