Wait, Lamborghini has not decided to give up on electric vehicles afterwards.
Last month, Lamborghini announced it would no longer release its all-electric supercar, noting that its clientele had shown little interest. Practically zero. Instead, the long-awaited Lanzador would be a plug-in hybrid. At the time, CEO Stephan Winkelmann had said: “Plug-in hybrids offer the best of both worlds, combining the agility and low-rev boost of electric battery technology with the emotion and power output of an internal combustion engine.”
Now, a few weeks later, Winkelmann feels like his words were taken out of context.
I guess an all-electric Lamborghini supercar is coming, but what will it look (and sound) like?
When Lamborghini first decided to delay its electric vehicle plans, Winkelmann was quoted as saying it was an “expensive hobby” to pursue electric supercar production, adding that it was not really a viable business solution. That’s because interest was “close to zero,” he said. Lamborghini loyalists wanted loud, roaring, high-revving V12s. It sounded like pursuing an EV was benched, maybe even scrapped. Why would Lamborghini bother if nobody wanted one?
Well, this is apparently not the case. Winkelmann said that the whole “expensive hobby” thing was taken out of context.
“I didn’t say it this way, “he said.
The plan is not to eliminate EVs entirely. Instead, Lamborghini will release its first all-electric supercar beyond 2030. That’s all. Meanwhile, the carmaker is using this extra time to really figure out what could make an electric supercar appealing to its customers. He told Autocar that the team is studying the rate of acceptance of electric cars “for our types of customers” going forward. And for Lambo owners, it’s not about reliability and saving the planet and all that crap. It’s about having an emotional experience while driving. Can an EV do that?
“We discovered that the rejection rate of full-electric cars is increasing, and this is something which is going to affect the sales of a full-electric car from Lamborghini,” he went on. “You don’t buy a Lamborghini because you want to move from A to B on a daily basis. You buy a Lamborghini because it’s something which is a childhood dream, or maybe because it’s the fulfilment of a life full of more work, and you want to have something which is exceeding your expectations.”
The biggest reason for rejection: the sound. Lambo owners want to hear and feel that engine. This is something that other automakers have explored, often with fake engine sounds in the cabin. This is a hit-or-miss solution, with many enthusiasts not wanting the fake version and EV drivers not caring about it. So… Who is the fake sound for?
Winkelmann explained that you can “put a record player in the car” to simulate a combustion engine sound, but that probably wouldn’t be Lamborghini’s route. He said: “The point is if this is what you want in a car like a Lamborghini, where reality is what you want. You don’t want something which is not real. At least, that is my perception.”
Lamborghini is just one of many automakers pivoting from electric vehicles. With fewer incentives and tons of competition from China, the electric vehicle market has become a bit of a challenge to navigate. Interest is dwindling, and costs are rising. Luxury EVs are especially struggling as Americans look for affordable alternatives.
Lamborghini is in a unique spot — nobody buys a Lambo to save money. However, it’ll be interesting to see if they can find a way for their wealthy clientele to connect with an electric vehicle. Just don’t go putting words in Winkelmann’s mouth. He apparently does believe in an electric EV. Just trying to think of what the context coulda been then to make that “expensive hobby” quote mean something else.
