Lamborghini Urus plug-in hybrid spied cold weather testing

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Purists still cringe at the thought that the Lamborghini Urus is the company’s best-selling model in the shortest time ever. The fact is that without the hyper-SUV, supercars like the resurrected Countach would not have been possible. So important is the Urus that new versions are imminent and it just so happens that the next one will be a plug-in hybrid.

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In the last year alone, Lamborghini introduced the S and Performante iterations but the next one will likely get the most attention. That’s because the PHEV Urus is expected to borrow the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid’s powertrain. It is speculated that the Urus PHEV’s output will grow significantly over that of the Cayenne’s which is rated at 670 horsepower. In this guise, the PHEV’s numbers are already about 13 hp higher than the Urus Performante. Being Lamborghini, they’ll squeeze out a reported 808 hp from the 4.0L twin-turbocharged V8 mated to an electric motor.

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These spy shots of a camouflaged Urus are that of the PHEV version during some cold weather testing in the Arctic Circle. How can we be so sure, you ask? The most significant telling feature is the secondary fuel door hiding the charge port on the driver’s side, opposite the actual fuel door on the passenger side. It is visible in the gallery and marked by a small cross made from black tape on the Urus’ quarter panel. The other sign that this is a PHEV is the lengthened front end, with a longer bumper and hood, to accommodate the hybrid system’s extra components.

Although the yet-to-be-named plug-in hybrid Urus sports a different powertrain, no changes are expected for the vehicle’s cabin other than perhaps a few EV-related controls over that of the Urus S.

No official release date has been confirmed for the new “green” Lamborghini Urus PHEV but it’s expected before the end of 2023 as a 2024 model.