The feedback from the fan community after the world premiere of the Lamborghini Lanzador was unequivocal: thunderous applause. Like the Urus study, Lamborghini’s first electric model was celebrated for its design in particular. But even if some interested parties around the Pebble Beach enclave of millions would have been happy to pull out cash and prepare the electronic transfer forms – it still takes time. Almost five years before the Lamborghini became an automotive reality as the first fully powered electric model from the sports car manufacturer from Santa Agata d’Bolognese. Lots of time to dream and develop and exactly the right time to take the first few kilometers under the mighty 23-inch wheels in the five-meter-long electric car. Where better to do this than on the legendary 17-Mile Drive, the charismatic automotive promenade that unites California and the Pacific in a unique way?
Getting into the blue Lanzador is done slowly and with great caution, because it is important not to damage the unique vehicle – especially because it is raining this morning on the coast of Monterey. While development director Rouven Mohr only briefly points out that the prototype does not have a windshield wiper, the technicians around it are much more excited about the unforecasted precipitation. But when you press the starter on the futuristic center console, which separates the driver and co-pilot at chest height, the instruments come to life. If you didn’t know any better about sitting in the Lanzador, there would be no doubt that it was a space glider from a distant galaxy. Unlike its big brother Urus, the Lamborghini Lanzador will only have two doors in series production despite its four individual seats. There is enough space in the rear, but climbing into the second row is probably a rarity for most customers. Inside, the crossover will be more sustainable than any Lamborghini before it.
Details such as the dashboard, seats and door panels are made from fine merino wool, while the colored thread comes from recycled nylon. Most invisible plastics, like the foam in sports seats, are made from 3D printed recycled fibers. The fibers used for the center console and door panels are also made of regenerated carbon: a new, two-layer composite material. Despite all its sustainability, Lamborghini relies on leather. However, this is sustainably tanned because the water comes from olive oil production and has to be treated in sewage treatment plants due to its high acidity and antimicrobial effect. This residual water from olive oil production can also be reused by chemical manufacturers to produce tannins. Further resources are also conserved through a newly developed 3D printing process for plastics, which, among other things, was used to make the seat foams. The printing material for Fused Deposition Modeling printing comes from recycled waste such as used plastic bottles and can be recycled again after its useful life. In the two display caves in front of the driver and front passenger, numbers and animations come to life as the colossus begins to move almost silently.
The crunching and creaking noises are typical of such an early prototype, which is more intended to collect applause on show stages than to drive a few lively kilometers. The Lamborghini Lanzador with its shimmering bluish look can do both. With the accelerator pedal pressed deeper, we head towards Spanish Bay, while on the left, when looking out the side window, the turbulent Pacific seems to be showing its first enthusiasm for the northern Italian. “Be careful when steering,” explains Rouven Mohr calmly, “this is a drive-by-wire system that occasionally carries out new calculations depending on the steering angle. So steer slowly.” No sooner said than done. The whirring of the electric drive is getting louder, the speedometer shows 40 km/h. Later in real operation, the planned output of more than 1,000 kW / 1,360 hp will mean top speeds towards 300 km/h. A lot of speed for an electric model that takes its name from a bull that sent the people of Madrid into sheer ecstasy in 1993. After all three current series will be electrified as plug-in hybrids from next year, the Lanzador will be the first purely electric model with a bull from 2028. The next generation of the Urus, which will also be electric, is expected to follow shortly afterwards. “With the fourth model, we are opening a new vehicle segment: that of the Ultra GT,” explains Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann, “thanks to groundbreaking new technologies, this will offer customers a new, incomparable Lamborghini driving experience.”
The test subject can only roll loosely on the 17-mile drive as Rouven Mohr switches through various programs and functions using the futuristic-looking controller. Later in the series version, the different driving modes can be varied and thus also the way in which more than one megawatt is actively brought onto the road via the torque vectoring system. The power comes from a battery pack of around 100 kWh between the axles – the first performance data is currently being specified in a specifications sheet. A variable air suspension chassis with a steering rear axle is installed. “For us, electrification does not mean a restriction, but rather an intelligent opportunity to develop more power, performance and drivability,” explains Rouven Mohr.
The Lamborghini engineers put a lot of dedication into adaptable aerodynamics because, in contrast to sports cars, the complex air ducting is supposed to be subtly hidden behind body elements. Similar to the Huracan and Aventador, the electric SUV also has aerodynamic modules that, depending on the driving program, speed and speed, ensure maximum contact pressure or minimum air resistance in order to generate more range. The prototype can already do this today at the push of a button. The flexible aerodynamic system uses, among other things, the front air flap along with a movable splitter, which opens the brake cooling channels and the cooling fins when necessary to achieve the best performance. Optically concealed slats provide downforce without creating additional air resistance. Because despite all its performance, the Lanzador should stay on the ground. That’s what it means for Lamborghini fans too. Just don’t take off now, because it will be a long five years before the Lanzador reaches the dealer – a long time.
