The end is near. The European Union plans to ban new internal combustion vehicle sales in 2035. Thanks to that, more and more manufacturers are announcing their departure from internal combustion engines and are moving to electrification. This week, Lamborghini assures us that they are different and plan to keep building ICE cars beyond 2030.
Lamborghini is known as a car maker that isn’t afraid to go against the grain. Founded in the early ’60s, Lamborghini was founded when Ferruccio Lamborghini realized the best sports car manufacturer at the time (Ferrari) wasn’t up to his expectations. Teaming up with one of Ferrari’s ex-engineers, Lamborghini created one of the greatest V12 engines. In fact, variants of this engine (with minor changes) were used until 2010.
Debuting with the 350 GTV, Lamborghini has gone through a lot of trials and tribulations over the years – from surviving the financial crisis of the ’70s to bankruptcy. Despite the challenges, this Italian supercar maker always pushes boundaries, embodying cutting-edge designs and a pioneering spirit. Thanks to this culture, iconic Lamborghini cars, such as the Miura or the Countach came to exist. These cars all let the drivers know what a Lamborghini should be – a breathtaking design with top-level performance and superior driving capabilities. (To learn more about the full history of Lamborghini – have a look at our brand story).
Knowing the brief history of Lamborghini, it is understandable why Lamborghini says they are continuing to pursue the use of internal combustion engines while other makers are abandoning them. Lamborghini wouldn’t just jump on the bandwagon because everyone is doing it – they would pursue it with a purpose. The purpose, of course, would be to stay true to their racing pedigree.
During a recent interview, Lamborghini President and CEO Stephan Winkelmann said the Italian carmaker wants to keep building internal combustion vehicles. One of the possibilities Lamborghini is looking into is through exploring synthetic fuels (another VW-owned carmaker, Porsche, is exploring this route as well). The development of synthetic fuels will help Lamborghini to retain its legacy as countries like Germany are expected to allow the sale of synthetically-fueled combustion cars in the future. Fingers crossed as other countries will jump on this initiative to keep internal combustion alive.
In addition, there is another possible method to keep ICE cars alive. Companies like Toyota and Hyundai have been making major strides in hydrogen fuel cells technologies. Their projects have been showing great promises, with the range and performance of fuel cells cars improving every year. Both companies even test hydrogen fuel cell cars in motorsport.
Though it is important to note that electrification isn’t completely off the table for Lamborghini – by the end of 2024, Lamborghini plans to mass-produce plug-in hybrids. Lamborghini assures embracing hybrid technology will not make their cars dull, as we already have seen in cars like the Sián. Hybrid powertrains can offer the best of both worlds when they are done right – instant power delivery with high top speeds.
Either way, this is good news for car enthusiasts. With stricter regulations being placed every year, it will be interesting (or nerve-wracking) to see how car manufacturers navigate through the hurdles.
What do you guys think? With the current market and environmental situation, will the future be fully electric or will there be a glimpse of hope in alternative fuels? Whatever it may be, let’s enjoy the high revs and exhaust backfires while we still have them!
Source: Reuters
Keyword: Lamborghini To Keep ICE Alive