The New Lamborghini Urus SE Is A 194 MPH Plug-In Hybrid SUV With ‘On Demand’ Oversteering

The Urus SE isn’t Lamborghini’s first plug-in hybrid, but it’s arguably the brand’s most important one. Because we as a species are conspicuous consumers, the Urus SUV is the best-selling Lamborghini ever, and Lamborghini views this new SE model as the way forward. However, don’t think of it as some sort of downsized tax break special. Instead, it harnesses electricity to make itself even quicker.

Under the hood sits a fairly standard four-liter twin-turbocharged V8 making 611 horsepower and 590 lb.-ft. of torque on its own. It’s the same as on the outgoing Urus and similar to the one you’d fine in the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT, but Lamborghini’s also pulled something else out of the parts bin — a 25.9 kWh lithium-ion battery pack with prismatic cells. Again, on paper, this seems likely to be the exact same one out of the Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid, but combining it with high-output thrust and an interesting drivetrain coupling yields some surprising performance claims.

See, the Lamborghini Urus SE puts its electric motor inside its eight-speed automatic transmission, then employs a new multi-plate clutch power transfer unit setup for front-to-rear all-wheel-drive torque biasing. According to the company, “The transfer case works in synergy with the new electronic limited-slip differential installed on the rear axle, giving the vehicle ‘on demand’ oversteering to convey the feel of a purebred super sports car.” In short, think about it a bit like Torque Rear mode in the Volkswagen Golf R, where an aggressive all-wheel-drive torque split and nifty moves with an electronically-controlled limited-slip rear differential combine to help you get sideways. I don’t know about you, but powersliding the roadgoing equivalent of a rhinoceros sounds like a hell of a thrill.

Oh, and then there’s the combined output of the whole system, a titanic 789 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 700 lb.-ft. of torque from 1,750 rpm to 5,750 rpm. Lamborghini states that the extra grunt is only good for lopping a tenth off the gasoline-only Urus S’ zero-to-62 mph time of 3.5 seconds, but the effect on zero-to-124 mph runs is said to be more substantial. Lamborghini claims that the gas-only Urus S could do that dash in 12.5 seconds, but the PHEV Urus SE lops more than a second off of that with a claimed time of 11.2 seconds. Keep the pedal buried and you’ll eventually hit 194 mph. Sheesh.

Should you wish to take it easy on electric power alone, Lamborghini claims an all-electric range of more than 37 miles, a top speed of 83 mph on electric power alone, and four different electric drive modes. There’s EV mode for silent motoring, Recharge mode to put the gasoline engine to work juicing up the battery pack, Hybrid mode for hybrid motoring, and Performance mode to throw everything at the tires and let it eat.

Lamborghini has given the Urus SE a makeover to go with its new hybridized powertrain. With a longer hood, larger grille, and slimmer headlights, the front end of the Urus SE is even more brash than any Urus before, which is really saying something. Around back, a massive slab of fake grille connects the taillights while evoking the Gallardo LP560-4, and a new rear diffuser and spoiler contribute to a claimed 15 percent increase in downforce.

Of course, exterior updates come with interior updates, the biggest of which is a new infotainment system with a larger 12.3-inch screen. Add in new trims and fresh air vents, and although the drama of the interior has been toned down, it seems like usability is being kicked up a notch.

You wouldn’t expect a plug-in hybrid Lamborghini to be cheap, and you’d be right. Pricing starts at $258,000, and given that this is a luxury good that you don’t simply buy off the lot, people are going to add options. Mind you, the old Urus S started at $233,995, so it’s doubtful an extra $24,005 will turn off many buyers. Plus, going forward, the Urus SE will be buyers’ only option — once it goes on sale, the ICE-only Urus S and Urus Performante will exit production. Expect to see these things parked outside expensive restaurants near you starting early 2025, possibly grabbing some juice from a charging station.

(Photo credits: Lamborghini)

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