You’ve likely heard about the Ferrari Luce – the brand’s polarising first EV – from just about everyone on the planet and in the automotive industry by now, with opinions being offered from far and wide.
Even former Ferrari head Luca di Montezemelo joined the pile-on, saying that the Luce is “definitely a car the Chinese won’t copy”, and that it “risks destroying a legend”, despite saying he was holding back on going all-in with his criticism.
You might expect Lamborghini to join the pile-on, especially given it recently cancelled plans to launch an EV, citing low demand in the segment, but CEO Stephan Winkelmann has delivered a measured approach to the Luce.
“Our decision to go from [traditional internal combustion engine] to plug-in was a very important one for us, and it worked out,” Winkelmann told CNBC.
“We don’t speak about our competitors … but everybody has their own strategy.”
‘A car the Chinese won’t copy’: Former Ferrari boss slams Luce EV
According to Winkelmann, Lamborghini’s decision to backtrack on launching the Lanzador as an EV and instead go down the plug-in hybrid route was “the right way to go”, though the executive conceded “every brand, every company has to decide for themselves”.
“By observing the market … we saw that the acceptance curve [of EVs] for our type of customers is not increasing, and that therefore we decided to move away from a full-electric car into a plug-in hybrid.”
In speaking to CNBC, he added that “innovation is paramount” to success with regards to the Ferrari Luce, but said innovation shouldn’t be forced on customers.
When Lamborghini cancelled its EV plans in February, Winkelmann said the “acceptance curve” for EVs in the luxury space the Lanzador would occupy is flattening and “close to zero”, noting, “EVs, in their current form, struggle to deliver this specific emotional connection.”
“Investing heavily in full-EV development when the market and customer base are not ready would be an expensive hobby, and financially irresponsible towards shareholders, customers [and] to our employees and their families.
“Plug-in hybrids offer the best of both worlds, combining the agility and low-rev boost of electric battery technology with the emotion and power output of an internal combustion engine.
The executive added an EV may still one day joining Lamborghini’s lineup, but just when that will happen is still up in the air.
“Never say never, but only when the time is right. For the foreseeable future, only PHEVs. We will continue to develop electrification because we also need to be ready,” Winkelman said.
“The times we are living in are fast moving; if you don’t react fast, you risk going out of business or losing momentum. Therefore [we need] a solid financial base to reinvest in the future.”
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