It's just natural that almost every new supercar is the most powerful car in its range. And the Lamborghini Sián FKP 37 is no exception. The $2 million hybrid super sports car is claimed to be fastest and most powerful Lamborghini to date, while it's also a form of initial realization of the company's electrification plan.
Lambo's tech chief Maurizio Reggiani admitted that he is not a big fan of battery-powered EVs. The weight of batteries is the enemy of supercars, as more weight means reduction to the performance, that's Reggiani's stance on this particular vehicle energy source. It actually makes sense since supercars are designed to be as light as they can be.
However, in the past two years, Reggiani has started mulling over supercapacitors. That's what the Sián uses instead of a battery pack. The part is placed in front of the powerplant, behind the seats. Supercapacitors have a way of working that is much different from batteries. Almost like a lightning strike, they're faster in storing and releasing electricity. That's why the car is named Sián - it means "lightning bolt".
According to Reggiani, supercapacitors are good for supercars. Not only they're light, but also quick in transferring electricity without losing energy as heat. In addition, they can use braking energy to charge up quickly, then shoots out electricity when the car accelerates. Having 34 horsepower, the Sián's electric motor can give direct motivation to the wheels and keep pushing the car along between its automatic transmission shifts.
In other words, the Sián is a mild-hybrid machine, meaning that its electric motor is there only to support the V12 engine - it can't drive the vehicle on its own. Lamborghini said the supercar can sprint from 0-60 mph in less than 3 seconds, while its top speed is above 217 mph. The electric motor contributes 10% to the vehicle speed.
The Sián isn't the first Lambo to pack a supercapacitor. The $400,000 Aventador also has one, although it's not a hybrid vehicle. It uses the supercapacitor to power the starter motor so that it can crank up the V12 engine; whereas in the Sián, the starter motor actually helps move the car.
In the future, Lamborghini will probably try to develop a supercapacitor that allows its cars to go full hybrid. So the electric motor can sometimes act as a main force when the car drives in a pure electric mode. And then in the next stage is to develop a supercapacitor that can make the car go full electric without accompanied by an internal combustion setup. It is still a long journey ahead. While battery technology and electric powertrain also continue to advance. We will see if Lambo's supercapacitors can become more competitive.
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