Lamborghini recently unveiled details of the first HPEV (High Performance Electrified Vehicle) hybrid super sports car, codenamed LB744, which will make its debut in the near future as Lamborghini celebrates its 60th anniversary.
With the LB744, Lamborghini sets a new benchmark in terms of performance and driving pleasure: an all-new architecture, with a new powertrain, offering a total of over 1000 hp, combining the power of an all-new 12-cylinder internal combustion engine with three electric motors and an innovative dual-clutch gearbox, which makes its debut on the 12-cylinder Lamborghini.
This new model features an unprecedented configuration: the centrally mounted 6.5-litre naturally aspirated V12 engine is complemented by three electric motors, one of which is integrated into the new eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox. This, in turn, is transversely mounted and placed, for the first time, behind the combustion engine. In the place traditionally destined for the transmission tunnel, since the times of the Countach, there is instead a lithium-ion battery that powers the electric motors. These electric motors increase power delivery at low rpm and can also convert the new LB744 into a purely electric car, reducing total CO2 emissions by thirty percent compared to the Aventador Ultimae.
Lamborghini has been synonymous with V12 engines since the company was founded. The first Lamborghini model to be powered by this characteristic engine was the emblematic 350GT, launched in 1963. The first time, at Lamborghini, an electric motor was combined with a 12-cylinder internal combustion engine was in 2019, with the Sián, which used a 25 kW electric motor to support the previous generation V12, storing electrical energy in a supercapacitor.
The LB744 maintains one of Lamborghini’s most solid traditions: four-wheel drive. As well as the internal combustion engine, which transmits power to the rear wheels, a pair of electric motors on the front axle now make their debut, each providing traction to one of the front wheels. There is also a third electric motor, positioned above the eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox, which can transmit power to the rear wheels depending on the selected driving mode and conditions.
The combined torque of the combustion engine and three electric motors offers levels of performance that are unique even in the super sports car segment, with 725 Nm provided by the internal combustion engine and 350 Nm by each of the front electric motors. In total, the power unit offers a maximum combined output of 1015 hp.
The two electric motors at the front are oil-cooled axial flow units and offer an exceptional power-to-weight ratio: 18.5 kilograms for each of the 110 kW units. As well as transmitting power to the front wheels, they also have a torque vectoring function, optimizing driving dynamics and recovering the energy produced under braking. When in electric mode, the LB744 only has front-wheel drive to optimize energy consumption, while electric rear-axle drive is activated only when needed.
The Lamborghini LB744 is equipped with a high-specification lithium-ion battery pack (4500 W/kg) located inside the central tunnel, keeping the center of gravity as low as possible and ensuring optimal weight distribution. The battery is protected by a structural underlay and is connected to the front electric motors, the rear electric motor and an integrated charging unit.
The development of an eight-speed Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) stems from the desire to create a unit that provides everything needed for sporty driving, such as quick gear changes, while the inclusion of an eighth ratio helps to optimize fuel consumption, and ease of driving at cruising speeds. A particular attribute is the “continuous reduction”, which reduces various speeds under braking by simply holding down the left paddle, giving the driver a feeling of total control.
Electrics aside, the new DCT gearbox is lighter and faster in terms of shifting speeds compared to the seven-speed dual-clutch unit used in the Huracán range.
The transverse layout also created a more spacious cabin, creating more space behind the driver and passenger to improve comfort.
