Lamborghini has scrapped its plans for a full-electric car. In its place comes a faster, more powerful plug-in hybrid version of its best-selling SUV. The new Urus SE Performante is a bet that high-octane gasoline mixed with a battery is the path forward - not a pure battery.
The Urus SE Performante uses a 4-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine paired with an electric motor. Together they deliver 812 horsepower and 738 foot-pounds of torque. That is enough power to push the SUV from a standstill to 100 kph in 3.3 seconds. Its top speed is 312 kph, or 194 mph.
The company plans to announce pricing for the Urus SE Performante nearer to its U.S. launch date.
Since its debut about ten years ago, the Urus has become essential to Lamborghini's prosperity, accounting for roughly half of the company's worldwide sales each year, according to CEO Stephan Winkelmann, with total Lamborghini sales nearing 11,000 vehicles last year.
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The plug-in hybrid powertrain not only boosts performance but also helps Lamborghini meet stricter emissions regulations without alienating its customer base.
The Urus line has transformed Lamborghini from a niche supercar maker into a high-volume luxury brand. Before the SUV arrived, the company sold fewer than 3,500 cars annually. The model's success gave Lamborghini the financial stability to invest in electrification while preserving the emotional driving experience its buyers demand. This context explains why the company is doubling down on hybrids rather than rushing into a pure EV.
Winkelmann said the company originally planned a full-electric car. But then it watched its customers. "By observing the market … we saw that the acceptance curve [of EVs] for our type of customers is not increasing, and that therefore we decided to move away from a full-electric car into a plug-in hybrid," Winkelmann said.
Winkelmann called the new Urus SE Performante "very important" and "a game changer."
When asked by CNBC about the possibility of returning to purely gasoline-powered cars, Winkelmann refused to answer directly, though he offered a "never say never" remark.
The Italian automaker abandoned its EV plans ahead of Ferrari's debut of its first EV, the Luce, in late May. Winkelmann earlier avoided commenting on the Luce or the feedback it has generated, stating that innovation is crucial for success. Nevertheless, Winkelmann emphasized that innovation must not be pursued purely for its own sake or imposed on buyers.
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