The boss of Lamborghini has stated that its customers still want “the sound and the emotion” of internal combustion engines, and the company will continue to use them in its cars for at least the next decade.
Speaking to the BBC at the Italian supercar-maker’s London showroom, chief executive Stephan Winkelmann said enthusiasm for electric cars was declining, creating an opportunity to focus on hybrid power instead.
Mr Winkelmann explained his position: “Today enthusiasm for electric cars is going down. We see a huge opportunity to stay with internal combustion engines and a battery system much longer than expected.” He added that continuing with combustion engines for another 10 years would be “paramount for the success of the company.”
The Volkswagen Group-owned luxury brand currently sells three main models: the hybrid supercars Temerario and Revuelto, and the Urus SUV. The Urus accounts for more than half of the company’s sales and is available as a plug-in hybrid and a conventional petrol car.
Lamborghini has already shelved plans for a fully electric successor to the Urus, which is now not expected before 2035. The future of another planned battery-powered grand tourer, the Lanzador, is also under review. Mr Winkelmann said: “We still need to decide whether we are going full electric, the decision we took some years ago, or seeing whether in the new environment this should also be a plug-in hybrid.”
Regarding emissions, Mr Winkelmann insisted the business was socially responsible, but noted that as a low-volume manufacturer, its environmental impact was limited. “We are selling 10,000 cars in a world that is producing 80 million cars a year, so our impact in terms of CO2 emissions is not that important,” he said.
Source: BBC News
