After Ferrari Luce backlash, Lamborghini CEO says canceling its own EV was the right choice

Ferrari unveiled the Ferrari Luce electric vehicle in the symbolic setting of the Vela di Calatrava, Città dello Sport in Rome in May, 2026. (Ferrari S.p.a.) Ferrari S.p.a. After intense backlash following the reveal of Ferrari's first all-electric vehicle , the Luce, the CEO of rival luxury vehicle maker Lamborghini said canceling his company's EV plans was the correct choice. Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann said on Wednesday the automaker's decision to kill the all-electric Lanzador and a version of its Urus SUV to focus on plug-in hybrid electric vehicles was "the right way to go" for his company, but said "every brand, every company has to decide for themselves." "Our decision to go from [traditional internal combustion engine] to plug-in was a very important one for us, and it worked out," Winkelmann exclusively told CNBC during a virtual interview. "We don't speak about our competitors ... but everybody has their own strategy." Winkelmann declined to comment directly on the Ferrari Luce or the responses it has received , but said "innovation is paramount" to success. However, he said innovation should not be made for innovation's sake or forced upon customers. "By observing the market ... we saw that the acceptance curve [of EVs] for our type of customers is not increasing, and that therefore we decided to move away from a full-electric car into a plug-in hybrid," he said. …