Lamborghini CEO attributes the lack of demand for the luxury automaker’s all-electric line to ‘disappointing’ EV charging infrastructure

(SeaPRwire) –   When discussing supercars, Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann acknowledged that his customers favor gas-powered vehicles over fully electric ones, citing a shortage of dependable charging stations as one factor behind the low interest.

In February, the luxury carmaker revealed it had put its all-electric Lanzador project on hold. First unveiled in 2023, this 1,341-horsepower “Ultra GT” was initially set to launch in 2029 with an expected price of $300,000—roughly the average cost of a Lamborghini, no matter the type of power it uses. Instead, Lamborghini will shift its focus to creating plug-in hybrid vehicles.

On Thursday, Lamborghini shared record earnings, including 10,747 vehicle deliveries in 2025—its highest number ever. Although the company hit $3.7 billion (€3.2 billion) in revenue, a 3.3% rise from the previous year, its operating income dropped to $885 million (€768 million) from 2024’s record $962 million (€835 million). The firm blamed the lower profits on its shift away from EV development, along with tariff uncertainties and an unfavorable U.S. exchange rate.

In an interview prior to the company’s earnings report, Winkelmann told that one reason for the slow demand for its EV was the absence of well-developed infrastructure to support all-electric vehicles on the road.

“We have a lot of customers [who] bought electric cars, and they told us—I spoke to a lot around the globe—that in terms of infrastructure, in terms of charging time, in terms of range…it is very disappointing,” Winkelmann said.

An analysis by Motointegrator and DataPulse Research shows the European Union currently has around 910,000 public charging stations, even though 3.5 million (or 26% of what’s needed) are required to back the region’s decarbonization goals. In the U.S.—Lamborghini’s biggest market—EV charging stations frequently face reliability problems; a Harvard Business School study found that drivers can successfully fully charge their vehicles using non-residential EV chargers only 78% of the time.

But customers’ hesitation to purchase a luxury EV isn’t just about logistical challenges. “On top of that, the emotional aspect is really important,” Winkelmann stated.

Electric vehicles don’t have the loud roar of a traditional internal combustion engine—something closely linked not only to the Lamborghini brand but to sports cars in general. Winkelmann pointed out that the absence of the vibrations and noise associated with gas-powered cars deterred customers who have a fixed idea of what a Lamborghini should be.

“You don’t buy a Lamborghini because you need one, but because you want to have a childhood dream fulfilled,” he added.

How to make a successful luxury EV

The luxury automotive industry has mostly struggled to launch fully electric cars that connect with consumers. In 2024, Bentley pushed back its all-electric target from 2030 to 2035—then abandoned that plan entirely, stating it would offer hybrid vehicles instead by that date. Porsche announced last September it would stop developing its own EV batteries and scale down its electrification initiatives. High-end carmakers like Stellantis and Ford both retreated from EVs, taking $26 billion and $19.5 billion write-downs, respectively, to shift away from all-electric vehicles.

Tom Narayan, an analyst at RBC Capital, argued that it’s an oversimplification to claim there’s no demand for luxury EVs across the sector, or that the low interest stems solely from infrastructure problems.

“There are buyers who want electric-high performance vehicles,” Narayan told . “Maybe that number isn’t as big as what folks thought. Maybe that number is lower, but to say charging infrastructure is a problem, or, nobody wants a luxury EV, I don’t think that’s really accurate.”

Narayan points to the much-awaited Ferrari Luce— the Maranello-based brand’s EV model— which will be open for orders by late May. Ferrari, which sells around 14,000 cars annually, can justify its EV because it can cut research and development costs for certain parts through its link to its Formula 1 team, which already invests heavily in optimizing components.

Ferrari is also an independent company, unlike Lamborghini, which is owned by the Volkswagen Group via its subsidiary Audi. Narayan noted that Ferrari needs to appeal to a broader audience, making an EV a more strategic move. At the same time, Volkswagen has doubled down on its EV plans, reviving its Scout Motors brand to target American consumers even amid signs of slowing demand.

Narayan implied that since Lamborghini’s parent company is already investing in EVs elsewhere, developing its own luxury EV might not be the most wise use of resources.

“In the context of VW Group,” he said, “it may not be necessary for Lamborghini to electrify.”