Lamborghini’s legacy in luxury sportscar design is well known. The vehicles ascended into popular culture, serving as a status symbol and a testament to the brand’s automotive heritage. As the auto industry grapples with zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), Lamborghini intends to decarbonize its entire value chain, extending a long-running carbon reduction program.
The Direzione Cor Tauri, or “Heart of the Bull” initiative, lays out how the company will achieve its carbon reduction goals. It provides a step-by-step breakdown of how the value chain will lead to electrification.
The plan was announced in 2021 as a three-phase program. Phase One was to “celebrate the internal combustion engine” to pay homage to the engines that brought fame to the brand. Phase Two introduced the first hybrid Lamborghini in 2023 and will see the switch to fully hybrid engines by the end of 2024. Phase Three will see the first electric Lamborghini produced near 2028.
The first hybrid model, the Revuelto, launched in March 2023. The company says the Urus Super SUV and another hybrid vehicle are coming this year. The upcoming hybrid will replace the classic Huracán. The first fully electric model, the Lanzador, is still four years away.
Photo Courtesy Lamborghini
The Revuelto hybrid has been rated 10/10 by Car and Driver. It comes with a carbon fiber body and a legendary V12 engine that produces no emissions. It can go 0-to-60 in 2.5 seconds and has a top speed of 218 mph. Lamborghini is working with Bridgestone to develop specialized tires that maximize hybrid engine performance. However, it doesn’t get great mileage, with an estimated 16 mpg on the highway and nine in the city.
CEO Stephan Winklemman is eyeing a 40% reduction in carbon emissions “per car” by 2030. Reaching this requires changes in the supply chain, like implementing renewables, investing in cleantech, and developing a sustainable strategy.
The hope is there will be a 50% reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the entire Lamborghini supply chain by 2025 and 80% by 2030.
“Direzione Cor Tauri is our roadmap to electrification of the Lamborghini range and the path to decarbonization, not only of our Sant’Agata Bolognese facility but of the entire value chain: it is a holistic approach to our global environmental sustainability strategy,” Winkelmann said in news release.
“Within a context of major transformation, everyone needs to contribute to achieving the objectives: this commitment extends not just to every individual and every company, but also to institutions and governments responsible for infrastructures and the transition toward renewables,” he continued.
The Sant’Agata Bolognese facility is the esteemed Lamborghini factory. Its Direzione Cor Tauri report said the plant only contributed to 0.001% of Lamborghini’s global emissions. However, there are still 700,000 metric tons to sequester and 59 gigatons of CO2 equivalent in global greenhouse gases. Transportation accounts for 15% of these emissions.
Photo Courtesy Lamborghini
Renewable energy at Santa’Agata Bolognese is helping to combat the CO2 problem. Ranieri Niccoli, chief manufacturing officer, explained in a statement that the brand is using the “largest photovoltaic system in the Emilia-Romagna region” to power the factory. The solar array came online in 2009 and has contributed to a 36% reduction in energy consumption per vehicle compared with 2010.
Niccoli said the company is concerned with the local community and surrounding environment. To help, Lamborghini Park opened in Sant’Agata Bolognese in 2011. More than 10,000 oak trees have been planted to provide a natural habitat for fauna and recreational space for staff members and their families.
Lamborghini said it will continue to favor transportation with lower environmental impacts to deliver cars and parts worldwide. Rail travel has already increased from 4% to 35% in the last five years, and air travel has been reduced from 18% to 1%.
The driving experience will be Lamborghini’s biggest challenge in its electrification plans. Each country has different regulations for electric vehicles that automakers must adhere to break into specific markets. However, Lamborghini sees the move to electric power as an opportunity to start a new era for the brand.
“Our mission, as a globally recognized brand, is to inspire and encourage others to tackle these modern-day challenges,” Winkelmann said in the news release. “Automobili Lamborghini is proof that a sustainable vision is possible.”
