As the automotive industry inches closer and closer to a world of all-electric vehicles, Lamborghini has been reluctant to abandon its signature petrol-fed V-12 engine platform. However, with looming government mandates to go all-electric, the writing is on the wall — a fact that’s prompted the Raging Bull to take its first-step towards its all-electric future by giving the motoring world its first glimpse of Lamborghini’s upcoming High Performance Electrified Vehicle (or HPEV).
Also touted by the Italian marque as being a “hybrid super sports car” in addition to an “HPEV,” the company’s next-generation platform has been code-named the Lamborghini LB744. Staying true to Lambo’s roots, the LB744 packs a mid-mounted naturally-aspirated 6.5-liter V-12 engine with optimized combustion and an increased compression ratio, and an all-new transversely-mounted eight-speed double-clutch-equipped rear transverse gearbox. By locating the gearbox behind the longitudinal V-12, this configuration opens up room inside the car’s tunnel for its Lithium-ion battery.
More importantly, the V-12 has also been fitted with a trio of electric motors — one of which has been cleverly integrated into the design of the powertrain’s double-clutch eight-speed gearbox while the other two consist of 110-kW (147.5-hp) oil-cooled axial flux units with a torque vectoring function. The hybrid-boosted powertrain ultimately allows the forthcoming plug-in hybrid to achieve a power output of 986hp and 534.7ft-lbs of torque — a figure that, when coupled with the powertrain’s displacement, earn it the distinction of boasting the highest-power-output-per-liter in the now six-decade-long history of Lamborghini crafting 12-cylinder engines. Even more impressive is the fact that the LB744 will also feature the first-ever use of four-wheel drive while in full-electric mode.
Coinciding with the Italian marque’s 60th anniversary, the Lamborghini LB744 Hybrid Supercar is slated to be unveiled later this year.
