Lamborghini Still Hates Electricity

2014 Lamborghini Asterion LPT 910-4 Technology Demostrator (Credit: © Automobili Lamborghini)

Lamborghini still isn’t into cutting-edge powertrain trends, especially electrification. The brand will keep its howling V-10 and V-12 engines for a while, even if Porsche and others decide to start making fully-electric cars.

This isn’t much of a shock, because Lamborghini has always marched to the beat of its own drummer. Usually the drummer has purple spikey hair, but nobody can accuse Lambo of lifting designs left and right.

Admittedly, to say that Lamborghini hates electricity might be a tad overzealous. Really, Winkelmann (he’s the CEO) explained that the powers-that-be in the company (especially him) hate the lack of performance electric powertrains provide.

Some EV fans no doubt are flying into a fit of rage because a Tesla Model S raced a Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat) and totally mopped the track with it. Never mind that the Dodge driver screwed up his launch, the guy wasn’t behind the wheel of a Huracan or another modern Lambo. Now that would’ve been a race.

The fact is Lamborghini has a reputation for creating cars with the kind of performance capabilities so crazy owners will likely never fully them, and probably couldn’t control the vehicle well at all if they tried.

Winkelmann said in an interview with Motor Authority that he would consider an all-electric drivetrain on some conditions. It would have to mimic the kind of output from the internal combustion engine it would replace, plus it couldn’t increase the price (because Lambo owners apparently can barely afford the vehicles at the current price points). Oh, and he added that it would have to be applied to an SUV, like the upcoming Urus, which will come with a bi-turbo engine and an available plug-in hybrid powertrain.

In other words, an SUV will lead the emissions and fuel efficiency revolution for Lamborghini, which sure is a strange way of doing things. There’s that Lamborghini drummer again.

Even though Lamborghini built the Asterion Concept, which was fully electric, the Italians learned a few things from the project. Thanks to the battery and other hybrid system components, the concept apparently handled like crap – and Lambos don’t handle like crap.

Despite the Dieselgate scandal that’s been rocking the Volkswagen Group, Lamborghini thinks it’s in a good spot when it comes to environmental standards. One day when electrification technology is advanced enough, Lamborghini will be on board with it, because it has to offer the greatest to customers. After all, that’s what owning a Lambo’s all about.