Lamborghini is preparing a successor to the Aventador that is expected to arrive in 2022, and it will feature electrification as a way for the Italian supercar marque to use its naturally aspirated 6.5 litre V12 engine for one last series-production generation before the following one goes fully electric, reports Autocar.
The Sant’Agata-based supercar maker previewed its electrified future with the Sian, which, instead of the more commonly used lithium-ion battery pack for hybrid powertrains, uses a supercapacitor to power its 48-volt electric motor that is integrated into the gearbox.
This provides electric assistance for the internal combustion engine for a total output of 819 hp, enabling a 0-100 km/h sprint in 2.8 seconds and a top speed of over 350 km/h.
According to Lamborghini, the supercapacitor can store 10 times the power of a typical hybrid system while weighing three times less, as the system in the Sian tips the scales at a total of 34 kg. A fully electric drive mode is available, although only briefly for low speed driving and parking, the company said.
The upcoming, series-production successor to the Aventador will be the last to feature the naturally 6.5 litre V12, which means that the flagship model to come after that will be likely to be a fully electric model, according to the magazine.
This electrified successor to the current flagship has been delayed several times partly due to the pandemic, but mainly due to Lamobrghini’s own push to develop hybrid technology that is suitable to the needs of the character of its supercar, the magazine reported.
“The challenge is how to match the requests of the legislators while not diluting the expectations of customers in the coming years. This is what we are working on right now,” said Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann.
The natural aspiration and layout of the V12 are critical to the character of the flagship Lamborghini, the manufacturer’s chief technical officer Maurizio Reggiani told Car and Driver previously. All-wheel-drive by means of an electrically driven front axle is also a possibility, like on the the Ferrari SF90, which offers the chance to “do something truly exceptional in terms of traction and handling,” Reggiani also said at the time.
All 63 units of the Lamborghini Sian have been spoken for since the coupe was unveiled in September 2019, like the flash of lightning it has been named after. The equivalent Roadster arrived in June last year, and all 19 units of the open-air version found owners just as quickly.
“The Sian is a success story, because we understood you have to sell electrification by giving a benefit to the owners of super-sports cars. This approach is just a small step into what we’re going to do in the future,” Winkelmann said. The eventual sucessor to the Aventador is likely to offer close to the 819 PS from the Sian, Autocar suggested.
“My biggest challenge is to have a clear strategy for what is happening after 2030, to follow up the next generation – not only in terms of product but also to have a clear vision of what this means for the brand. Without doubt, the legislation part will tell us what we cannot do any more. The door will be very tight and there will be a bottleneck we have to pass,” Winkelmann said.
Lamborghini is finalising its plans for a fully electric model, the CEO said, though adding that the company is looking into its financial situation to see what developments are possible each year. In terms of markets such as the UK which will ban cars with internal combustion in 2030, taking care of legislation in these countries is paramount for the company’s future success.
“If we fail, we are out of business, because we need to do a super-sports car in line with the legislation, and also in line with the expectations of the customer. That’s not always the same, but we have to match these two things, and we are expecting this challenge,” the CEO said.
GALLERY: 2021 Lamborghini Sian in London
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