Lamborghini Plans to Use Internal Combustion Engines for ‘as Long as Possible’: Exec

Lamborghini isn’t done with the internal combustion engine—far from it, in fact.

The Italian supercar maker’s chief technical officer, Rouven Mohr, sees a future for traditional mills at the marque. In a recent interview with Australia’s CarExpert, the executive said the marque plans to continue to use traditional mills for “as long as possible.”

In the conversation, Mohr told the automotive news website that Lamborghini remains committed to installing gas-powered engines in its vehicles, even as it continues to develop its first electric vehicle. The executive says Lamborghini knows that its potent ICE powerplants are part of what makes its vehicles so compelling, which is why the company continues to explore ways to use them even as the industry slowly inches toward increased electrification.

“If you speak about the future of combustion for sure, for us, we are aiming to continue as long as possible,” Mohr told the automotive news website. “This is clear not because—you know, sometimes some colleagues say, ‘ah, it’s not so much about the old world’—[but because] we still think that we have a lot of ideas to transport, let me say, the combustion future.”

Lamborghini’s continued loyalty to traditional gas-powered mills doesn’t mean it’s having second thoughts about electrifying its lineup—unlike some of its peers. When the Huracán’s successor, the Temerario, goes on sale later this year, the brand’s entire lineup will be made up of hybrids, and each model will still deliver the kind of performance car buffs expect from a Raging Bull.

The company’s latest supercar and its best-selling model, the Urus SE, feature hybrid-assisted 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8s (the ICE units are different from one another). In the SUV, the powertrain makes 789 hp and 701 ft lbs of torque; in the supercar, it makes 907 hp and 590 ft lbs of torque. The company’s flagship, the Revuelto, pairs a 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V-12 with a trio of electric motors. The setup generates 1,001 horses and 793 ft lbs of twist.

Those vehicles will be joined by the company’s first fully battery-powered model later this decade. The Lanzador concept from 2023 is believed to be a preview of the EV, which is thought to be a 2+2 grand tourer. It was originally set to debut in 2028, but that has since been pushed back to 2029 so the company has more time to ensure it is a true Lambo.