Skip to main content

Lanzador concept previews Lamborghini’s first EV

Front three quarter view of the Lamborghini Lanzador concept.
Lamborghini

Lamborghini provided the first glimpse at its electric future with the Lanzador, an all-electric concept car that previews the Italian automaker’s first EV, debuting in 2028. But an electric powertrain isn’t the only thing that sets the Lanzador apart from the Lamborghinis of today.

Lamborghini’s current lineup includes two-seat mid-engined supercars and the Urus SUV. The Lanzador represents a third body style: the “2+2” grand touring car, with occasional-use rear seats. Lamborghini has built cars like this before, including the Espada, Urraco, and Jarama, but the Lanzador adds a more SUV-like raised ride height, something Lamborghini has already dabbled with in the Huracán Sterrato. That should make tackling steep driveways less perilous than in current Lamborghini supercars, while folding rear seats provide additional cargo space.

Details on the powertrain are few, but Lamborghini did confirm a dual-motor all-wheel drive system with an output of “over one megawatt,” or 1,341 horsepower. To tame all of that power, Lamborghini equipped the Lanzador with a variety of drive modes, wheel-speed control that regulates power distribution to individual wheels, and active aerodynamic elements that can direct airflow to maximize cooling and efficiency or generate grip-enhancing downforce.

Intended to be more luxurious than a traditional Lamborghini, the Lanzador features active air suspension that automatically adjusts itself to road conditions or the driver’s style, or can be manually adjusted with controls on the steering wheel. Rear-axle steering helps increase agility.

The interior is defined by a wedge dividing the driver and front passenger, who each get their own individual screens. There is no central touchscreen, just a protuberance that houses infotainment and climate controls. It’s not the most visually attractive or ergonomic-looking interface, however.

Lamborghini made a point of using sustainable interior materials from Italian suppliers, including Merino wool stitched with thread made from recycled nylon, recycled plastics, 3D-printed seat foam made from recycled fibers, and “regenerated” carbon fiber trim. Even the leather upholstery is sustainably tanned, using leftover water from olive oil production. This means the water is used in two industrial processes before being treated, helping to reduce overall water use.

The Lanzador will go into production later in the decade as the fourth Lamborghini model, and the only one so far confirmed as an EV. The Revuelto plug-in hybrid launches later this year as a replacement for the flagship Lamborghini Aventador. Lamborghini plans to make the rest of its lineup plug-in hybrids by the end of 2024 with a plug-in successor to the Huracán and a Urus plug-in hybrid. An all-electric SUV isn’t out of the question, but expect Lamborghini to avoid turning its marquee supercars into EVs until the bitter end.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Jeep joins the EV party with the 600-horsepower Wagoneer S
Front view of a 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S driving on a city street.

After getting things rolling with plug-in hybrids, Jeeps’ electrification plans are picking up speed. Scheduled to reach dealerships this fall, the 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S is the brand’s first EV for North America.

The Wagoneer name is right up there with Wrangler and Grand Cherokee in Jeep lore. The original Jeep Wagoneer was one of the first truly civilized SUVs and became the namesake for a modern sub-brand encompassing the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, two leviathan gas guzzlers that went on sale as 2022 models. The Wagoneer S shares little with these SUVs besides a name.

Read more
2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally first drive: old pony learns new trick
2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally driving on dirt.

With its Mustang Mach-E, Ford promised an electric SUV imbued with the spirit of the iconic Mustang performance car. Now well into its production run, the Mach-E is living up to its Mustang billing in that, like the traditional internal-combustion Mustang coupe and convertible, Ford wants to grow the herd of Mach-E variants.

Introduced for the 2021 model year, the Mach-E is nearing the point where most vehicles would see a redesign, or at least a major update. That seems especially pressing given the accumulation of fresher competition in the form of the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, and Chevrolet Blazer EV. But instead of a redesign, the big news for the 2024 Mustang Mach-E is a new Rally model designed for dirt-road driving.

Read more
Entry-level Cadillac Optiq EV promises 300 miles of range for $54,000
2025 Cadillac Optiq front three quarter view.

The 2025 Cadillac Optiq will be the General Motors luxury brand's entry-level EV when it starts production late this fall. But it won't have entry-level specs.

After unveiling the Optiq in November 2023, Cadillac is now filling in some of the blanks on this electric crossover SUV's spec sheet. We now know that the Optiq will feature a standard dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain tuned for 300 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque, along with an 85-kilowatt-hour battery pack providing an estimated range of over 300 miles. Like other GM EVs, the Optiq will be capable of one-pedal driving, with regenerative braking adjustable via a steering wheel paddle.

Read more