Lamborghini’s Lanzador EV concept has more than a megawatt of peak power

Lamborghini’s plans to introduce a new fourth battery electric model to its range come into sharper focus today with the unveiling of the Lanzador concept at Monterey Car Week. A high-rise grand tourer with 2+2 seats and large 23-inch wheels, the Lanzador blends design elements from the Urus and Sián while settling into a shape all its own.

It’s not Lamborghini’s first all-electric concept—that honor goes to the Terzo Millennio concept from 2017—but it’s the gravest sign of the Italian premium automaker’s efforts to focus on battery-powered performance.

Of course, as soon as I opened Lanzador’s press release, I immediately looked up all the EV-related specs that would prove that this concept would be one of the most powerful EVs on the road. But Lamborghini handles details like range, battery, charging capacity, or even zero-to-60mph acceleration. The Italian sports car maker revealed a tantalizing piece of information: the Lanzador is capable of “peak power in excess of one megawatt.”

That equates to 1,341 mechanical horsepower, which puts the Lanzador somewhere between the Lucid Air Sapphire (920kW) and the Tesla Roadster (1,100kW). And while that doesn’t tell us much about the watch’s power delivery, it does give a hint about performance, which we can assume is quite fast. Can Lanzador sprint from zero to 60 mph in less than two seconds like some of her peers in the 1,000+ horse community? He wouldn’t say Lamborghini.

Driving Lanzador promises to be an experience like no other. Significantly more sensors and actuators will be integrated into the supercar’s RDC system to ensure the smoothest possible ride. Lanzador’s computer algorithm takes in the data to deliver a precise driving experience that gets better over time.

“This allows driving personality to be more accurately distinguished for the individual driver than ever before: information delivered to the driver by smart sensors positioned behind the new front-mounted ‘pilot’ glass panels, giving a taste of future radar technology,” says Lamborghini.

Of course, the Lanzador was designed to improve aerodynamics for better ride and range. Air resistance can be adjusted to respond to the driver’s unique preferences. It’s a similar system to what was used on the Huracán Performante and Aventador SVJ, along with “new active aerodynamics front and rear to ensure optimum efficiency” in both urban and performance driving modes. The active chassis with steerable rear axle and air suspension can be controlled via the steering wheel.

The hexagonal taillights with three LED elements on each side are inspired by the Countach LPI 800-4. And speaking of hexagonal shape, the thick 23-inch wheels combine hexagonal elements with pneumatic blades to reduce turbulence.

These wheels give the Lanzador much higher ground clearance than normally found in the Lamborghini lineup, with the closest predecessor being the Urus SUV. The ceiling height is 1.5 meters, or just under five feet, so it’s still shorter than the much taller Urus. But those wheels will give Lanzador the appearance of being able to climb over all sorts of roadblocks – or at least over the steep hills of northern Italy.

Performance aside, you can see that Lamborghini is fascinated by Lanzador’s blend of GT body shape with a high-riding driving style. The goal was to emulate the Huracán Sterrato, an off-road supercar that the automaker had only committed to with a limited run of 900 units.

Lamborghini said the Lanzador’s design was inspired by spaceships, as the driver was meant to feel like an astronaut or jet pilot while driving. The driver and passenger — or “pilot and co-pilot,” as Lamborghini puts it — sit in a frame-like bucket seat insulated with 3D-printed foam. The rear seats can be folded down to accommodate luggage. There is also a front truck that can accommodate a custom-made bag.

In addition to 3D printed materials, Lamborghini is also committed to a more sustainable supply chain with the inclusion of nylon and recycled plastic as well as renewable carbon fiber for some of the interior. The automaker claims that its leather and wool purchases are sustainable and produced using renewable energy. It uses a type of synthetic yarn made from recycled plastic.

Unlike previous EV concepts, the Lanzador is a preview of what’s to come. Lamborghini has spent two years on a €1.9 billion ($2 billion) electrification strategy, first rolling out gas-electric hybrid versions of its entire range before introducing a fourth, all-electric model in 2028. We’ve already seen a plug-in hybrid drive, And it’s the 2024 Revuelto, which will eventually replace the Aventador. There will certainly be more to come.

Lanzador is designed to evoke what is possible with this model. And since it’s just a concept, it’s never too early to stumble on performance numbers or battery specs. Although it tells us that Lamborghini has set one of the world’s benchmarks – 1 megawatt of peak power – signaling to all its competitors that whatever’s coming, it’s going to be ridiculously powerful.