Future electric Lamborghinis will match the V10s for excitement, says engineering boss
Can battery-powered Lamborghinis conjure the same thrills as the firm’s naturally-aspirated ICE models? The company's Chief Technical Officer is adamant that they can
Jump out of a Lamborghini Huracán and it's hard to imagine how any electric car (or the Huracán’s forthcoming twin-turbo V8 replacement) can be as visceral or thrilling. The screaming, 8500rpm V10 is one of the world’s great engines and completely dominates the driving experience, but according to Lamborghini, its future EVs can in fact offer the same level of excitement.
Speaking to evo, the company’s Chief Technical Officer Rouven Mohr outlined what we can expect from a battery-powered Lamborghini driving experience. ‘In the Huracán, for example, it’s clear that the character of the car is defined by the V10 engine,’ he said. ‘It doesn’t make sense to try and imitate this character with an electric motor or a turbocharged engine, so our challenge is to find another characteristic that delivers the excitement.’
What might that be? For one, electric Lamborghinis will offer a much higher level of control over their chassis electronics and power deployment, helping to shape their dynamic character to a finer degree than what’s possible today. Mohr went on to say:
‘The thrills will be different for sure, but I guarantee that they will not be less exciting. EVs have one big advantage that no combustion drivetrain can offer, and that’s how precisely you can control the torque and the revs.
‘This opens the door to completely different control strategies; for instance, you could potentially have an ABS system that isn’t via the brakes, or manage the traction control in a completely different way without cutting power. In the future, I’m deeply convinced that the difference between an electric supercar and a standard high-performance EV will be in the dynamic control strategy. Managing the dynamics of the car in a super precise way is the next level of driving fun’.
Lamborghini has already previewed some of these systems with the Lanzador concept – a high-riding two-door GT that will enter production in 2028. It uses a new version of Lamborghini’s LDVI (Lamborghini Dynamic Vehicle Integration) system with more sensors and actuators than the Revuelto, helping to optimise torque distribution and the behaviour of the rear-wheel steering. The Lanzador’s dual-motor setup also uses wheel speed controllers to regulate torque at each corner, improving turn-in and traction.
Will all of this give you the same goosebumps you get from driving a Huracán? Time will tell.