This article originally appeared on Motor1.com.
The Italian automaker will explore synthetic fuels.
Last year, the European Commission proposed a 55 percent cut in CO2 emissions from cars by 2030 versus 2021 levels in Europe and a full combustion engine ban from 2035. None of these rules have been signed yet, though the writing is probably on the wall for the good old fossil-burning engine. However, there are automakers that still see a future for the ICE, and Lamborghini has been among the most vocal advocates of it.
The supercar maker’s CEO, Stephan Winkelmann, recently talked to the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag and admitted he wants his company to keep the combustion engine alive after the end of the decade. That may seem impossible from today’s perspective, but Winkelmann has a plan.
“After hybridization, we will wait to see whether it will be possible to offer vehicles with an internal combustion engine beyond 2030,” Lambo’s CEO told the German weekly publication. “One possibility would be to keep combustion engine vehicles alive via synthetic fuels.” Back in December 2020, Winkelmann said in an interview he wants to keep the combustion engine alive for “as long as possible.”
Just earlier this year, Lamborghini announced it will launch its first fully-electric model in 2028 and it will be a radically different product than anything else we’ve seen from the brand so far. It will likely take the shape of a 2+2 high-riding machine, which will be in the early development stages later this year. Once the final concept and design philosophy have been decided, a concept is likely to debut previewing the production model.
But long before the first Lambo EV debuts, the company will release its final pure combustion engine. If you want a new Lamborghini without an electric motor, you’ll have until the end of this year to buy one. After that, the automaker will move to hybridized powertrains.
Source: Welt am Sonntag via Automotive News
