- Lamborghini’s first electric model could end up being a plug-in hybrid, its CEO said.
- The Lanzador, Lamborghini’s electric 2+2, was recently delayed to 2029.
- It’s one of many brands postponing electrification plans amid slower demand.
Add Lamborghini to the list of car companies that are postponing electric vehicles due to slower-than-expected demand.
Well, add it to the list again. Last year, Lambo said its first electric model, the Lanzador, would arrive in 2029, one year later than initially planned. And this week, Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann told the Australian outlet CarExpert that the EV may actually wind up being a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) instead.
Amid the “flattening” acceptance curve of EVs worldwide, Winkelmann said the company is still deciding whether its next model will be a full EV or a PHEV.
“We have to decide whether we go one way or the other very soon,” the CEO told CarExpert.
The Lamborghini Lanzador concept at Monterey Car Week.
The move underscores the rockier moment for EVs that automakers are grappling with right now—and the specific challenge of being a supercar company in an electrifying market.
The Lanzador, unveiled in concept form in 2023, is a 2+2 vehicle intended to be the tip of the spear for Lamborghini’s electrification efforts. Lamborghini had also planned for the replacement for the Urus SUV to be an EV. But now that SUV will be a plug-in hybrid, Winkelmann said earlier this month.
While it’s still pushing to hybridize its lineup, Lamborghini has made it clear that it’s trying to hang on to gasoline engines as long as possible—because that’s what people expect from its supercars.
The company is holding out hope that synthetic fuels could allow its loud, visceral engines to live on. And Winkelmann has said it’s primarily emissions regulations around the world that are pushing it to invest in electric models. Notably, its initial electrification plans, which are now up in the air, focused on larger vehicles—not two-seat supercars.
During this rougher patch for EV growth, several companies have rejiggered their electrification plans. Ford canceled an upcoming three-row EV, Nissan nixed a pair of electric sedans and Honda reportedly eliminated some electric SUVs from its roadmap.
Ferrari, Lamborghini’s biggest rival, is delaying the launch of a second EV by two years due to the demand environment, Reuters reported.
Contact the author: Tim.Levin@InsideEVs.com
