Electrification has been around for quite some time now, but what’s new these days is how rapidly it’s expanding into segments of the auto market that have been resisting it. Electric pickup trucks aren’t just for Silicon Valley startups anymore; they’re being produced by Ford, Ram, and Chevy. And now Italian supercars have entered the chat, with Lamborghini going all in on electrification for its new generation of vehicles.
The iconic brand released its first plug-in hybrid for the 2024 model year and has two more scheduled to debut soon. Looking further out, the company’s concept cars paint a picture of a Lamborghini lineup that fully embraces electric power. Will these hybrids and EVs clash with the ideals of high performance and luxury that the brand has built its reputation on, or can the company have its cake and eat it too?
Revuelto
Taking the place of the now-discontinued Aventador in Lamborghini’s lineup, the Revuelto had big shoes to fill when it debuted for the 2024 model year. It also had to prove itself worthy as the brand’s first plug-in hybrid. Though rather than simply call it a PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle), Lamborghini is marketing it as an HPEV (high performance electrified vehicle), putting the emphasis on its performance first and foremost, presumably to reassure any EV skeptics in the crowd that the supercar brand still has its priorities straight.
Looking at the stats, it’s fair to say that performance is indeed the priority. The 2022 Aventador is powered by a 6.5L V12 engine that puts out 769 hp and 531 lb-ft of torque. Rather than downsize the gas engine and make up the difference with electric power, Lamborghini decided to stick with a 6.5L V12—an even more powerful one at that! Without any electric assist, the Revuelto’s engine produces 814 hp, so forgetful drivers don’t have to worry about losing access to excessive levels of power, even if they miss a charge or two. However, the three electric motors on board boost the total output to a massive 1,001 hp with a fully charged battery.
If you’re thinking that getting those stats and great fuel economy at the same time sounds too good to be true, you’d be right. The Revuelto only manages a fuel economy rating of 12 MPG combined, which is just barely an improvement over the 11 MPG for the outgoing Aventador. With power from the battery in the mix, the Revuelto manages a more respectable 23 MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent), but that only lasts as long as the battery life. While many plug-in hybrids provide substantial electric-only range (somewhere on the order of 20-40 miles), the Revuelto can only manage around seven miles. While not helpful for cruising around town without gasoline, that range is enough to make a quiet getaway without disturbing the peace in a suburban neighborhood with the roar of a V12. It’s also about on par with the eight miles of all-electric range offered by the Ferrari SF90 Spider.
Urus SE
The Urus was a hair’s breadth away from being groundbreaking when it debuted for the 2019 model year and became Lamborghini’s second-ever SUV. Now, for the 2025 model year, the Urus SE will follow in the footsteps of the original, becoming the second plug-in hybrid in the Lambo lineup. Not all of the stats for the SE are out yet, but Lamborghini has let us know that it will deliver approximately 788 hp between its V8 engine and electric motors and reduce emissions by as much as 80%. Since the Urus is a model that offers a little more practicality in its bodystyle than the Revuelto, it would be nice to see a more practical electric-only range as well, and the larger 25.9 kWh battery pack suggests that will be the case. But practical or not, the SE is sure to be awfully speedy for its size, with Lamborghini reporting a 0-60 mph time in the order of 3.4 seconds.
Lamborghini 634
When Lamborghini released details about its future electrification plans back in 2022, there was talk of a plug-in hybrid version of the Huracán. Now, plans seem to have shifted slightly; the Huracán will soon be discontinued and replaced by an as-yet-unnamed PHEV successor. This upcoming model is currently known by the code name Lamborghini 634, though rumors suggest it will be called the Temerario. While the 2024 Huracán sports a 631 hp V10 engine, its replacement will sport a twin-turbo V8 engine and have three electric motors incorporated into its design for supplemental power, similar to the Revuelto. All told, Lamborghini is expecting the powertrain to deliver over 788 hp. Whether the body will stick to the design language of the Huracán or surprise us with a look all its own remains to be seen.
Concept Vehicles: Terzo Millennio, Asterion, & Lanzador
Beyond the models that are out already or slated for production in the near future, there are also some concept cars that help shine some light on what the future of Lamborghini will look like. The Asterion is in line with the models we’ve looked at so far, a plug-in hybrid coupe that delivers over 600 hp and can go from zero to sixty in about three seconds. While it still undeniably looks like a performance car, the Asterion has a body with more curves than the angular Revuelto and might be designed with more practicality in mind since Lamborghini makes it clear that “the Asterion can nimbly handle urban driving under electric power only.”
The Lanzador looks poised to be Lamborghini’s first fully electric vehicle and has a tentative release date of 2028. The concept uses two electric motors, one of which is connected to each axle, to provide all-wheel drive. Between this setup and the high ground clearance of the concept model, some are speculating that the Lanzador is setting its sights on the world of rally racing. Overall, the system’s peak power is over one megawatt, which translates to about 1,341 hp. The interior truly deserves to be called a cockpit with its sport steering wheel and angular center console, and Lamborghini promises plenty of sustainable materials to match the eco-friendly ethos of its powertrain, including merino wool, regenerated carbon fiber, and recycled plastic fibers.
Last but not least, the Terzo Millennio was born of a collaboration with MIT. Dig into the details of this concept, and you’ll find that the high-tech electric hyper car sounds almost like something out of a science fiction story. Even Lamborghini’s head of design, Mitja Borkert, admits that it is perhaps “two, three, four generations” away rather than right around the corner. That unambitious timeline makes sense when you look at how wild some elements of the Terzo Millennio’s style are. In order to keep it racecar-slim, Lamborghini has gotten creative, housing motors within the wheels so that torque can be applied directly to the tires. It is also hoping to use nanomaterial technology to store electricity in the car’s body to avoid adding a heavy battery to the design. All of this is packaged in a design that wouldn’t look out of place chasing after the Joker on the streets of Gotham. Where the Lanzador provides ground clearance, the Terzo Millennio is about as low as you can go and looks bold to the point of intimidating from all angles.
Racing Toward a Greener Future
Performance vehicles have long been associated with gas-guzzling engines. It doesn’t seem like Lamborghini is too quick to change that, given that even its plug-in hybrid models feature powerful V8 and V12 engines, but the brand is steering toward a new direction where thrill-seekers might not have to burn quite so much fossil fuel in order to get their kicks. We’ll be interested to see how EV skeptics respond once all-electric vehicles bearing the iconic Lambo bull are actually out on the streets. If anyone can disrupt the narrative about electrification in the eyes of automotive enthusiasts, it’s Lamborghini.
