Lamborghini mulling electric GT: report

FRESH from revealing its first mild-hybrid car, the Sian, Lamborghini reportedly is considering its first all-electric model in the shape of a four-seat, four-door grand tourer to be launched about 2025.

Britain’s Autocar quotes Lamborghini Automobili chief technical officer Maurizio Reggiani as saying: “If you look at the timing for a fourth model line, there is the potential that this will be the right time for a full-electric vehicle.”

Autocar says Mr Reggiani added that Lamborghini could use an electric car platform from its parent Company, the Volkswagen Group, to save cost.

This is presumed to be the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) that will underpin the new Porsche Taycan and a variety of Audi EVs.

Autocar says the 2+2 GT would be inspired by the 2008 Estoque concept (shown above), but instead of petrol power via Lamborghini’s V10 or V12 engines, the Italian car-maker is now considering electric motivation.

Mr Reggiani indicated the GT had not yet been signed off for development, saying development would need to start by 2021 to ensure delivery by 2025.

Autocar speculates that Lamborghini might use its supercapacitor technology from the Huracan-based Sian to boost performance and reduce weight.

Instead of batteries, the limited-edition Sian stores power from regenerative braking in light and compact supercapacitors that can unleash the energy quickly for a power burst under acceleration.

The world-first production supercapacitor system powers a 48-volt 25kW/40Nm electric motor within the transmission that is hooked up to a 6.5-litre V12, generating a combined 605kW of power and 760Nm of torque.

In the GT, such supercapacitors that are three times as powerful as a battery of the same size could be used to boost acceleration while saving the battery pack for cruising.

Mr Reggiani said performance will be important for such a GT model, which – if it happens – would be the Raging Bull’s first four-seater since the 1970s Espada.

“We must be fast but not quite in the same way as we need to be in our super-sports cars,” he told Autocar. “A fourth model line will be something a little bit different.” 

Autocar said Lamborghini customers would not accept a 0-100km/h acceleration time over three seconds, and not a driving range under 300 miles (482km).

The Sian, which was unveiled at the recent Frankfurt motor show, can do the dash in just 2.8 seconds thanks to the electric boost.

Instead of a mid-mounted powertrain like the current three Lamborghini model lines, the GT could be expected to have electric motors on the front and rear axles in a now-familiar layout that delivers both all-wheel drive and large cabin space.

Mr Reggiani said that before a fourth model could be considered, the Urus SUV had to be established and consolidated.

“It took 10 years to establish our V10 model, from when the Gallardo launched in 2003 through to the Huracan, so we need to make sure we do the same with the Urus,” he said.