Meet Lamborghini's first hybrid, the Sián
Lamborghini joins the hybrid league, with the Sián.
Since its inception, Lamborghini has looked to big internal combustion engines to power its vehicles. No production Lamborghini has ever been powered by something with fewer than eight cylinders and none of them have been hybrids. Today, one of those changes forever.
What’s under the hood?
Meet the Lamborghini Sián, the world’s first hybridized production Lamborghini. The name, which means “flash” or “lightning” in the local Sant’Agata dialect, fits well considering a 48-volt, mild-hybrid motor has been added to augment Lamborghini’s now classic 6.5 liter V12. Total output comes in at 807 horsepower – that makes it the most powerful Lambo to ever hit the streets.
But the ridiculous power and the sub-three-second 0-60 time isn’t even the coolest part. No, the most interesting part of this raging bull is that, despite being a hybrid, it doesn’t have any batteries. Instead, there is a supercapacitor that has been fitted in the firewall between the passenger compartment and the engine.
The supercapacitor is lighter than a typical set of batteries and charges and discharges extremely quickly. Everytime the driver of the Sián hits the brakes, the supercapacitor will fully recharge.
The electric motor that’s powered by the supercapacitor adds just 34 horsepower, but the whole system adds just 75 pounds to the entire package. Not much considering the Aventador on which the Sián is based weighs in at 3,300 pounds – though you can expect this special edition to weigh a bit less than that thanks to some extra lightweight components.
The little e-motor can be used in low-speed situations like parking without having to use the big V12 and, according to Lamborghini, adds traction under hard acceleration. Not too shabby, huh?
As hybrids go, the Sián is a pretty impressive one. Lamborghini is only building 63 of them, and it would be safe to assume they’ve all been sold already. Still, you might see one on the road… eventually.
By Nicholas Yekikian
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