It keeps the sound that makes Lamborghinis as dramatic to hear as they are to look at. Technological improvements, such as more energy-dense batteries, as well as Lamborghini’s schedule for replacing models also made this the right time to launch a plug-in hybrid, Mohr added.

“The social environment has changed,” Mohr said, noting stricter emissions regulations and the persistent concern that European customers will eventually need some form of electric mode to access city centers. Three electric motors - one powering each front wheel, and a third attached to the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission - enable limited electric driving, with energy stored in a 3.8-kilowatt-hour battery pack. Lamborghini isn’t ready to go all-electric, but after dabbling in electrification with the Sián FKP-37 and Countach LPI 800-4 hybrids, company brass did feel the time was right for a plug-in hybrid. McLaren recently returned to plug-in hybrid technology with its Artura, while the all-electric Rimac Nevera and Pininfarina Battista have completely abandoned combustion engines. Plug-in hybrid supercars arrived in a big way roughly a decade ago when the Ferrari LaFerrari, McLaren P1, and Porsche 918 Spyder all appeared virtually simultaneously. Lamborghini was a trendsetter with the Miura and Countach, but this time it’s fashionably late to the party.

From the design of the plug-in hybrid powertrain to the hidden aerodynamic elements in the Revuelto’s Instagram-worthy styling, Mohr explained how engineers are preserving the essence of Lamborghini in this high-tech age. The Revuelto carries on the Lamborghini tradition of stunning supercars, but under the skin, it’s more than just a collection of tech buzzwords, Lamborghini CTO Rouven Mohr emphasized in an interview during the car’s North American debut in New York City.

Hybrid cars