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By Jake Lingeman
Managing Editor
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It's been a big spring for super luxury automakers and electrification. Lamborghini revealed its first hybrid in the Urus SE while Mercedes-Benz added a battery-electric vehicle (BEV) propulsion system to one of its most iconic nameplates in the rugged G-Class.
That's an adjustment considering that, for a time, it seemed like Italian supercar brands and uber-luxury marques like Rolls-Royce were behind the times. Now most have either joined the BEV party or have plans to do it soon.
Stifling those plans, electric vehicle sales have slowed in the U.S., going from an average of 25 days on dealer lots in the beginning of 2023 to than 72 days now, according to Edmunds.
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Standard hybrids are becoming more popular than ever before, only staying at dealerships an average of 25 days. The hybrid segment grew five times faster than other electrified vehicle sales in February.
"Like the rest of the industry, ultra-luxury automakers are gradually embracing electrification at various paces. While some high-end buyers still prefer the visceral experience of a high-performance gas engine, the tide is turning. Increasing global environmental regulations and growing consumer demand for sustainable transportation are making electrification an inevitable and necessary transition," Paul Waatti, director, industry analysis at AutoPacific told Newsweek.
"There are clear opportunities for electrification in the ultra-luxury space. Electrification has already pushed the boundaries of performance, raising benchmark figures in many areas. In that respect, even ultra-luxury OEMs will eventually have to pivot to electrification to keep up with the new standards cast by innovative approaches to electrified performance."
Lamborghini
Lamborghini is all-in on hybrids as it works to develop its first battery-electric supercar, which is slated to be introduced in 2028. It's first main line hybrid came out last year called the Revuelto to replace the legendary Aventador coupe and convertible series.
The Revuelto features a twelve-cylinder engine with three electric motors to motivate all four wheels with just over 1,000 horsepower (hp).
The Lamborghini Urus SE, the brand's first plug-in hybrid super SUV, shares much of its underpinnings with the new Porsche Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid. Like the gas-powered Urus, it has the performance chops of a supercar in a family-friendly body. It uses the same V8 as the gas-powered version, but with an electric motor adding power and a 37-mile electric range.
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Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes added the G 580 all-electric SUV to its roster of boxy, off-road vehicles. It'sw worth here that the new G 580 has no special badge noting its electric powertrain, nor will the name stick out among its gasoline powered counterparts, the G 550 and G 63, both of which include hybrid components.
The electric G can keep up with the on- and off-road prowess of the traditional G-Wagen, easily powering up steep hills, through deep puddles and being piloted smoothly down the highway thanks to its 579 hp and 859 lb-ft of torque.
The new electric Mercedes G-Class is an addition to one of the fullest EV lineups on the market that includes several sedans and SUVs currently wearing EQ badging. Future Mercedes battery-electric models will not have specific EQ model names, including the forthcoming CLA.
"We have a highly desirable portfolio of battery-electric vehicles and high-tech electrified internal combustion engine models—with more to come. We stay strategically focused and tactically flexible. Mercedes-Benz is taking the necessary steps to go all electric. Customers and market conditions will set the pace of the transformation," Ola Källenius, chairman of the board of management of Mercedes-Benz Group and CEO of Mercedes-Benz told Newsweek earlier this year. LINK TO DISRUPTORS ARTICLE HERE
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Rolls-Royce
When Rolls-Royce skipped the hybrid step and revealed the all-electric Spectre last July, director of design Anders Warming said that the mission to create it was the "most challenging brief" he's ever received, but that it also presented "the biggest opportunity."
In an interview, Rolls-Royce's former CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös said Rolls would skip trying to develop hybrid tech, saying the technology doesn't bring a big enough benefit and that it was a stepping stone to all-electric technology.
The Spectre is fitted with two electric motors producing a total of 584 hp and 663 lb-ft of torque. It gets from zero to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds and has a range of 291 miles. It can recharge in 34 minutes on a DC fast charger and about 11 hours on a Level 2 home charger.
Rolls-Royce says the batteries are made using cobalt and lithium from "strictly controlled sources in Australia, Morocco and Argentina" using green electricity.
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Bentley
Bentley has promised to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) technology in the years to come, noting the company would have to keep the PHEV on sale a bit longer than usual to return a profit.
Bentley currently offers plug-in hybrid versions of its Bentayga SUV and Flying Spur sedan. It ended production of its twelve-cylinder engine this month and plans to end non-hybrid V8 production later this year.
The Bentley Flying Spur hybrid combines a new 2.9-liter turbocharged six-cylinder gasoline engine with an electric motor for a total of 536 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque. The company is pushing back its plans to exclusively offer all-electric vehicles by the end of this decade. It cited changing market conditions but said it remains committed to carbon neutrality and exclusively offering EVs.
"Due to slight project delays for the first Bentley battery electric vehicle, now reaching markets early in 2027, we are considering extending our PHEV options beyond 2030 by one or two years, and phase our five future BEV models accordingly, then naturally returning a greater lifecycle investment in our hybrid models. Hybrid technology remains a critical transitional step for us, offering customers the performance, convenience and ready-made infrastructure luxury customers expect, while our medium-term commitment to exclusively BEV models in the future remains," a Bentley spokesperson told Newsweek.
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Ferrari, McLaren and Aston Martin
Ferrari and McLaren were both early to the electrification party with the Ferrari LaFerrari and McLaren P1. Now a decade old, both brands are moving ahead with modern takes, Ferrari with the SF90 Stradale and the McLaren with its Artura. Aston Martin just said it was delaying its first electric vehicle due to low demand.
The McLaren Artura and Artura Spider hybrid are powered by a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged six-cylinder and an electric motor for a total of 690 hp and 531 lb-ft of torque.
The 2024 SF90 Stradale and Spider, like the Lamborghini, are not built for hypermiling. In addition to its twin-turbocharged V8 the SF90 has three electric motors for a net total of 986 hp. However, Ferrari's upcoming Purosangue SUV, tellingly, has a traditional gasoline twelve-cylinder engine.
The Aston Martin Valhalla, the company's first hybrid supercar, will enter production this year, despite the delay of its first EV, expected to be a four-door sports car. Chairman Lawrence Stroll said in an investor call that Aston Martin is planning to roll out "a couple" of plug-in hybrid vehicles before the first EV.
In June, Aston Martin inked a supply deal with the Lucid Group to improve its electrification strategy.
"High-performance positioned hybrids are already proliferating more attainable luxury portfolios, and fully electric potential brings innate capabilities and characteristics ripe for ultra-luxury marques to adopt," said Waatti.
"The business case is strong, too; performance-focused hybrid applications are positioned as upgraded powertrain options, while EVs across the industry continue to carry an 'EV premium' over comparable internal combustion engine vehicles. These metrics can fit the ultra-luxury equation with visionary product positioning and execution, regardless of the lagging state of high-end consumer demand for electrified powertrains," he said.
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