With the dawning of a brand new period of hybridization within the automotive trade, an increasing number of producers are integrating electrical propulsion into their lineups. Delicate-hybrid methods are well-established, and extra useful plug-in hybrid methods maintain getting higher and higher. Even Lamborghini’s collaborating within the virtual currency wave of hybridization, which could come as a shock to some.
That’s as a result of this Italian firm’s outlandish supercars have by no means been thought to be thrifty, or ever attempting to be thrifting. They’ve all the time returned old-truck-like gasoline financial system due to their ravenous 10- and 12-cylinder engines. And their innate potential to make these behind the wheel drive them as inefficiently as potential doesn’t assist, both.
However by God, it’s a actuality in the 2025 Lamborghini Revuelto, the Italian model’s prime V12-powered mannequin. Its plug-in hybrid system is principally there to up the thrills, however surprisingly, it might additionally return respectable gasoline financial system with no downsides to its ravenous driving expertise. Right here’s how $612,858 (earlier than expensive choices) value of Lambo slots into our present golden age of hybridized high-performance.
Lamborghini goes out of its solution to name the Revuelto its first-ever plug-in hybrid HPEV (high-performance electrical car), and it actually is: a 3.8 kWh battery sends juice to 2 AC motors mounted on the entrance axle, and one other hooked up to the transverse-mounted eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox. By default, the mighty Lambo involves life with out firing up its engine, as an alternative sending energy to the entrance motors for backing up (there’s no reverse gear), in addition to providing as much as 5 miles of EV-only vary.
That will sound comically low, however contemplating simply 30 miles of regular driving can absolutely prime it again up, it’s extra helpful than one may assume. If I used to be allowed extra mileage for my press mortgage, I might’ve liked to run the battery down on the freeway, firing up the engine till it was recharged, and repeating the method till the tank ran low.
Its plug-in hybrid system is principally there to up the thrills.
In spite of everything, it’s rated at 23 MPGe—12 mixed with out hybrid help. The latter barely beats its Aventador predecessor and means this factor carries a $4500 gasoline guzzler tax for not assembly minimal gasoline effectivity requirements. Not many PHEVs can declare that honor.
That stated, I used to be pleasantly shocked by how straightforward it was to come back near 23 MPGe. Over a typically traffic-free, 15-mile stretch of Los Angeles freeway with radar cruise management set to 75 mph, I used to be capable of simply exceed 21 MPGe. Not solely that, it prioritized EV propulsion for passing slower automobiles whereas the engine sat dormant at a really calm 2,000 rpm in eighth gear. Regardless of some vital highway noise, this brutish supercar was somewhat stress-free on the freeway. However exiting off and transitioning to twistier blacktop excessive up in California’s San Gabriel Mountains, it shortly grew to become something however.
Because the Revuelto is Lamborghini’s flagship V12 supercar, the specs are insane: its 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V12 screams to 9,500 rpm and produces 814 horsepower and 535 lb-ft of torque. The three motors contribute as much as an extra 296 hp and 364 lb-ft, reaching a peak whole output of 1,001 hp and 1,044 lb-ft of torque. You’d by no means know from behind the wheel that this factor weighs 4,290 kilos, as 0-60 mph occurs in simply 2.5 seconds, and 150 arrives in lower than 10.
If the primary motive for hybridization is pure pleasure, then I’m right here for it. Launching off the road, you’re feeling the motors punch down low because the V12 revs up, and as soon as the tach needle reaches the midrange, all hell breaks unfastened in fantastic electron-flowing and fuel-burning concord.
The Revuelto doesn’t maintain again in its pursuit of filling the cabin, and a number of other metropolis blocks in both path, with wonderful V12 music. It’s endlessly entertaining no matter mode and RPM, even frivolously cruising round between 3,000 and 4,500 RPM. I’d by no means been so content material having a ringing in my ears as I did filling up its 22.5-gallon gasoline tank twice in a single weekend.
The shove again within the seat whereas ripping off the road is actually one thing particular, too. I’ve had the honour and privilege of driving some thrilling {hardware} throughout my tenure in automotive journalism, however this takes the cake for all-out savagery. Upshifts seamlessly proceed the trouble forth in the direction of felony offenses, and as soon as it’s time to decelerate, some mild gearbox whine and sharp puck noises make for buttery clean, GT3 race car-like downshifts. It’s all intoxicating.
The Bolognese model didn’t simply make the Revuelto sooner and optionally thriftier. Lively aerodynamics sitting atop the rear deck to assist it reduce by the air 66 p.c extra effectively, in addition to bleed off velocity. Carbon fiber and aluminum comprise its chassis and bodywork, making it 10 p.c lighter and 25 p.c extra inflexible than its predecessor. Mixed with a mixture of adaptive dampers and double-wishbone impartial suspension, its rectangular battery pack mounted in what was referred to as the transmission tunnel, all-wheel drive, plus its mid-engine structure, this factor is a monster at corners.
Conveniently, switching between damper and motor settings, in addition to drive modes, was fairly straightforward as they’re all finished on the steering wheel. I’ve by no means been a giant fan of complication right here, however Lamborghini’s methodology works nice.
This factor is a monster at corners
The steering itself possessed first rate weight beneath cornering and enough communication, tack-sharp front-end response, and above all, the proper ratio for high-performance driving. It was so good being far tilted again within the Lambo’s sport seat (this was very needed, as headroom is at a excessive premium for tall people), palms at 9 and three, and getting right into a daze-like rhythm of carving corners at breathtaking velocity. Whereas energy supply was cruel, it was fairly straightforward to tame with clean inputs and considerate downshifts, which weren’t as frequent as different unique fare due to the engine’s sky-high redline.
The tip end result was reaching well-traveled mountain prime landmarks in a surprisingly quick period of time. All whereas experiencing an immensely good trip high quality in both its stiffer or softer damper mode, too—a testomony to how a lot engineering went into this beast’s chassis dynamics.
The 2025 Lamborghini Revuelto is not like something I’d ever pushed earlier than. I’ll not have match very effectively inside, the seat again could have been designed for somebody a foot shorter than me, however goddamn was it completely value it.
Not solely was the feeling of a screaming, 6.5-liter V12 behind me one thing fantastically distinctive, however behind all of the drama was a chassis tremendously potent in its grip and athleticism. Then, its unparalleled mixture of 12-cylinder ferocity plus hybridization created a harmoniously hilarious good time. It even returned admirable gasoline financial system numbers for a supercar, if I needed… however I principally didn’t, as its consumption proved to be one of many wisest monetary investments ever.
Pictures by Peter Nelson / The Verge