A high-performance Lamborghini Urus plug-in powertrain will borrow tech from Porsche.
Lamborghini’s overhauled Urus is getting closer to its big reveal early next year featuring a new high-performance plug-in hybrid powertrain at the same time.
The refreshed SUV will continue Lambo’s electrification push after the arrival of the new Revuelto supercar, and will come before the Huracán’s replacement at the end of 2024 that will also use hybrid tech. Recent sightings reveal that the new Urus hybrid will also have a fresh look and reformed interior inspired by the brand’s latest mid-engined supercars.
As with most electrified Volkswagen Group products, the plug-in hybrid system on the Lamborghini Urus won’t be entirely new. Instead, the technology is borrowed from existing systems designed to work with VW’s MLB-Evo platform and updated to suit Lamborghini’s performance priorities.
The starting point will almost certainly be an updated version of the twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 engine as found in the existing Urus, paired to an electric motor and a reasonably-sized lithium-ion battery pack. This combination will be used in a forthcoming Porsche Cayenne Turbo S E-hybrid flagship, which will share the majority of its technical hardpoints with this new Urus.
Specifics in terms of power, battery capacity and all-electric capabilities are still to be confirmed, but with the Urus S and Performante now producing an immense 656bhp, we suspect the hybrid model will be focused on offering similar performance with improvements in efficiency.
The new hybrid will also introduce a distinctive look compared to its pure petrol counterparts, with new headlights and a sleeker front bumper that references the new Revuelto supercar. The main body looks to be otherwise unchanged, and the prototype in this image is running on the mid-level 22-inch wheel option. The rear end also appears to be marginally tweaked, once again hiding a more restrained design.
We’ll have to wait a few more months to see exactly what Lamborghini has in store for its hybrid-powered SUV, but with the sustained success of the Urus helping bolster the Italian brand’s profitability, we suspect the hybrid will only serve to strengthen the firm’s bottom line.