Lamborghini Has Sold Its Last ICE Car

Lamborghini, an Italian maker of flashy sports cars, has sounded the death knell for the internal-combustion engine. Stephan Winkelmann, the firm’s boss, told a German newspaper that the company’s order books are filled with hybrid vehicles, marking the end of the petrol-only era at Lamborghini. The carmaker, owned by Volkswagen, a German giant, plans to invest $2 billion to transform its lineup to hybrid power by 2024. By 2025 the Reventón, its last remaining petrol-only model, will be sold out.

Lamborghini’s announcement is the latest sign of the auto industry’s rapid shift toward electrification. Sales of hybrid and fully electric vehicles are rising swiftly, spurred by tightening environmental regulations and generational shifts in consumer tastes. Volkswagen as a group has placed an audacious bet on battery power and pledged huge investments to overtake Tesla, an American electric-vehicle front-runner. Porsche, another marque under VW’s wing, recently merged its operations with Rimac, a Croatian electric-supercar firm.

Flushed with cash and confidence, Lamborghini also aims to launch its first fully electric vehicle before the end of the decade. The brand’s inaugural hybrids will replace their petrol-swilling predecessors over the next couple of years. Lamborghini’s sales have surged of late, hitting a record last year, so its pivot toward hybrid tech comes from a position of strength. The Urus, Lamborghini’s first sport-utility vehicle, has proved an unexpected smash hit, forcing Ferrari, its fierce Italian rival, to follow suit.

Lamborghini’s move is a milestone for an industry that has long equated high performance with roaring combustion engines. For now, at least, the storied Italian marque and its deep-pocketed owner have concluded that hybrid and eventually fully electric supercars can provide the same thrill as their petrol counterparts, only without the roar. The death of the internal combustion engine at Lamborghini marks the end of an era—and the start of a new one of sustainable speed.

Also Read: All the Tech in New Kia Seltos Explained