The Lamborghini 2020 EVO RWD.
Robert Frank | CNBC
Italian supercar maker Lamborghini announced Tuesday that it would launch an all-electric car in the second half of the decade.
Lamborghini, owned by the German company Volkswagen, presented a transformation program and presented “a roadmap for the decarbonisation of future Lamborghini models and the Sant’Agata Bolognese site” in Italy.
Over the next 10 years, the company will switch to manufacturing hybrid models before launching an all-electric car in the second half of the 2020s.
“The Lamborghini electrification plan is a newly planned course that is necessary in the context of a radically changing world in which we want to make our contribution by further reducing the environmental impact of specific projects,” said Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini, in a statement Tuesday.
“Our response is a plan with a 360 degree approach that encompasses our products and our location in Sant’Agata Bolognese, leading us into a more sustainable future while remaining true to our DNA.”
The Lamborghini roadmap consists of three phases. With the first one for 2021 and 2022, the company continues to focus on internal combustion engine models with two new vehicles in the V12 model range announced this year.
The second phase would reflect a “hybrid transition” that would take place by the end of 2024. “Lamborghini will launch its first production car in 2023 and the full range will be electrified by the end of 2024,” the company said.
“Performance and the authentic Lamborghini driving experience will continue to be the focus of the company’s engineers and technicians as they develop new technologies. The use of lightweight carbon fiber materials will be critical to compensating for the weight caused by electrification. The company’s internal goal for this phase is to reduce the CO2 emissions of the products by 50% by early 2025, “he added.
The hybrid transition would involve what is known as an “unprecedented investment” of more than 1.5 billion euros ($ 1.83 billion) over four years. This would be the largest investment in Lamborghini’s history and an investment that would supposedly take place during a “phase of profound transformation” would affect the entire automotive industry. “
A Lamborghini Urus car is on display during the 2020 Beijing International Auto Show (Auto China 2020) at the China International Exhibition Center on October 1, 2020 in Beijing, China.
Liu Jiahao | VCG | Visual China Group | Getty Images
In the third and final phase, the automaker would launch its first all-electric Lamborghini in the second half of the decade.
“The second part of the decade will be dedicated to fully electric vehicles,” said the company. Technological innovation in this phase “aims to ensure remarkable performance and to position the new product at the top of its segment.”
The plan for an all-electric model seems to be a bit behind the roadmap of rival Ferrari. Ferrari chairman John Elkann has announced that his Italian supercar maker will unveil its first battery-electric vehicle in 2025.
