Hybrid Lamborghinis are on the way. Earlier this year, Lamborghini boss Stefano Domenicali confirmed that the successors for the Aventador and Huracan will combine high-revving naturally aspirated engines with electric motors, and we may soon get a preview of what they’ll look like.
Rumors about a new hybrid V12 hypercar, codenamed LB48H, have been floating around since the summer, when Lamborghini reportedly held a preview event for prospective buyers. Autocar reports that the LB48H will be a preview of sorts for the Aventador’s successor, which is due in 2020. Additionally, a source familiar with Lamborghini’s plans tells R&T that the LB48H will cost a little less than $3 million, and it’ll glow in the dark.
Yes. You read that right.
Lamborghini wants to embrace electrification as a way to keep using its naturally aspirated V10s and V12s, but the batteries needed to power an electric motor are heavy. That’s not a major issue in, say, a luxury SUV, but it is with a supercar. As a workaround, Lamborghini is probably going to ditch those batteries in favor of supercapacitors in this hypercar.
Lamborghini
Last year, Lamborghini showed off an all-electric concept car, the Terzo Millenio, which featured supercapacitors developed in concert with MIT. Supercapacitors are much smaller than batteries, and they’re able to discharge and recover energy at the same time, making them ideal for what Lamborghini wants. Lamborghini is working with Professor Mircea Dinca at the MIT chemistry department to develop supercapacitors with energy density matching that of the batteries used in other electrified cars.
At the reveal event for the Terzo Millenio, Lamborghini chief technology officer Maruzio Reggiani said the supercapacitor technology previewed by the concept car wasn’t too far away from reality. We think a new hypercar would be the perfect place to debut it. It’s unclear if the Aventador’s successor will use a supercapacitor system as well, but it’ll definitely have a naturally aspirated V12.
By contrast, the Terzo Millenio’s self-repairing carbon-fiber bodywork is a ways off. Expect more traditional carbon fiber and lots of Lamborghini’s forged composites for the LB48H, as well as some sort of tech that’ll make it glow in the dark. That part we’re not too clear on, but it’s the sort of lunacy we’d expect from Lambo. We also imagine the LB48H will take some design cues from the Terzo Millenio.
We don’t know when we’ll see the LB48H next year. Perhaps the Geneva show in March? We’ll be on the lookout, which shouldn’t be hard, since it glows in the dark.
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