Automobili Lamborghini Pledges 40% CO2 Reduction Across Its Value Chain by 2030 | Sustainable Brands (2024)

The luxury Italian carmaker extends its decarbonization program to its entirevalue chain, with the aim of reducing total enterprise emissions by 40%per car by 2030.

Automobili Lamborghini has announced anambitious, new target on its path to decarbonization — supported by the biggestinvestment in the history of the company.

Pacing peers including Aston Martin, Jaguar Land Rover and Porsche in continually updating their sustainability commitments, this latest step in Lamborghini’s “Direzione Cor Tauri” (“Heart ofthe Bull” in Latin) strategy, which involves electrification of the model rangeand decarbonization of the production site, extends its commitment to emissionsreductions across the entire value chain.

The luxury automaker says Direzione Cor Tauri offers a pact to futuregenerations — inspiring and serving as a model for innovation and sustainableprogress on the path to total carbon neutrality for Automobili Lamborghini by2050.

Chairman & CEO StephanWinkelmann shared the resultsto date and announced the company’s new ambition to achieve a 40 percentreduction in CO2 emissions per car across the whole value chain by 2030 (vs2021). To achieve this, the strategy encompasses the entire enterprise — fromproduction to the supply chain and logistics, to product-use phase — coveringthe entire product life cycle and involving the whole company in a collectivecommitment to achieve the target of reducing emissions by 40 percent per car.

“Direzione Cor Tauri is our roadmap to electrification of the Lamborghini rangeand the path to decarbonization, not only of our Sant’Agata Bolognesefacility, but of the entire value chain: It is a holistic approach to ourglobal environmental sustainability strategy,”* Winkelmann said. “Within acontext of major transformation, everyone needs to contribute to achieving theobjectives: This commitment extends not just to every individual and everycompany, but also to institutions and governments responsible forinfrastructures and the transition towardrenewables.Our mission, as a globally recognized brand, is to inspire and encourage othersto tackle these modern-day challenges. Automobili Lamborghini is proof that asustainable vision is possible.”

Launched in 2021, Direzione Cor Tauri kicked off in-depth and continuousresearch on the opportunities and challenges posed by electrification, whichresulted in the start of the hybridization phase in 2023 with the launch of theRevuelto — the firstHPEV (High-Performance Electrified Vehicle) hybrid super sports car. In2024, the electrification process will extend to the launch of the first hybridversion of the Urus Super SUV and the second HPEV in the range, replacingthe Huracán. The launch of the first fully electric model — preceded by theLanzadorconcept car — is planned for 2028, followed by Lamborghini’s first full electricSuper SUV in 2029. This strategy will result in a significant reduction in CO2emissions compared with 2021 for the fleet in circulation, with the aim of a 50percent reduction by 2025 and 80 percent by 2030.

Global greenhouse gas emissions comprise around 59 gigatons of CO2 equivalent;and, only counting direct exhaust emissions, the transport sector contributesaround 15 percent of this. To date, Automobili Lamborghini’s inventory is around700,000 tons of CO2 equivalent, which includes the entire life cycle of thevehicles produced in 2021-2022 (value chain emissions inventory certifiedaccording to the ISO 14064 standard).

Even though production activities at Sant’Agata Bolognese represent only 0.001percent of global CO2 emissions, the responsibility that the company has to thecommunity and the planet is greater than the environmental impact alone.

“We aspire to be the super sports car company with the most enduring andgenuine commitment to sustainability, through an overall vision of ESG issues,”says Strategy Director StefanoRutigliano. “We have adedicated, interdepartmental team working toward the implementation of theDirezione Cor Tauri program.”

Production and surrounding environment

Lamborghini’s sustainability leadership started in 2015 — when it achievedcarbon neutrality of the Sant’Agata Bolognese production site and sustained thisover subsequent years, despite doubling in size. Since then, many actions havebeen implemented across the facility that have led to further, continuousdecarbonization of the site, Chief Manufacturing Officer RanieriNiccoli explains: “Anumber of sustainability measures have been adopted in recent years, from theestablishment of the largest photovoltaic system in the* Emilia-Romagnaregion in 2009 to the high energy-efficiency certification of our newbuildings. Our activities are ongoing and are aimed at reducing energyconsumption through trigeneration and district heating plants, culminating inthe unveiling of a new concept for our paint shop that minimizes water use andemissions. In 2022, these initiatives led to a 36 percent reduction in energyconsumption per vehicle compared with 2010.”

Another initiative aimed at reducing the environmental impact relates to waterresource management, with a 34 percent reduction in specific water consumptionper vehicle in 2022 compared with 2010.

The company also works to enhance thesurrounding environment, as shown by the opening of Lamborghini Park — a greenhaven near the plant, where 10,000 oak trees have been planted, providing anatural habitat for wild fauna and a recreational space for locals and staff —in 2011; research projects with several Italian and European universities thatinclude biomonitoring of pollutants through studying bees and the absorption ofCO2 and carbon in the oak trees and soil of the park; and a land redevelopmentproject with two forestation initiatives to offset the impact of the factory onthe surrounding area.

Supply chain and logistics

“Starting from 2019, we implemented a sustainability rating system (S-Rating),which assesses our suppliers’ level of compliance with environmental, social andgovernance standards,” explains Chief Procurement Officer SilvanoMicheli. “A positiveS-Rating is a basic requirement to becoming an Automobili Lamborghinisupplier.”

The transport of vehicles and spare parts to and from Sant’Agata Bolognese andthe various markets also falls within this process. Part of this involvesswitching to transport with a lower environmental impact — in the last fiveyears, Lamborghini has increased rail transport from 4 percent to 35 percent,while reducing air transport from 18 percent to 1 percent for the transfer offinished vehicles — contributing to reducing the carbon footprint of suppliers.

The driving experience

Lamborghini says one of the most complex challenges in electrifying itsportfolio is adapting to regulations in the various markets it operates in; butthe company sees the transition to electric motors not as a limitation, butrather an opportunity to launch the super sports car into a new era.

“The electric motor opens up new horizons in terms of dynamics and drivingexperience,” asserts Chief Technical Officer RouvenMohr. “It is the dawn ofa new era for super sports cars, in which we are redefining the concept ofsportiness, enjoyment and driving dynamics in sustainable terms. Our DNA willalways be based on the concept of emotional performance.”

R&D is focusing its attention on these new driving possibilities, with the aimof taking the “feel like a pilot” experience to a new level through thecontinuous development of the six key pillars required to best tackle thechallenges posed by electric vehicles:

• a Human-Machine Interface on versatilemodels such as the Urus;
• the use of carbon fiber to reduce the overall weight;
• an electric powertrain;
• an advanced frame;
• smart aerodynamics that allow evenhigher performance to be achieved compared with current models;
• andintegrated control that offers a driving sensation similar to a pilot.

Employee engagement

Direzione Cor Tauri is supported by the largest investment plan in the 60-yearhistory of the company. Its success will be driven by the commitment and activeparticipation — and care — of the entire Automobili Lamborghini team. This‘People’ aspect will be addressed by three main directions of development:

• The first is the creation of new jobs, with the goal of hiring at least 500new workers by 2026.

• The second is related to its workforce’s holistic wellbeing, which will berealized through itsFeelosophyprogram, launched in 2021.

• Third is continuous learning, and fostering individual responsibility in thegrowth of skills by providing more opportunities and content for trainingand change-management programs with a view to the personal and professionalgrowth of people.

“Our aim with Direzione Cor Tauri is to take another significant step forwardin the company’s growth, further improving our profitability and continuing tobe best in class in the reference market,” explains CFO PaoloPoma. “It is a tangibledemonstration of our commitment through important innovations in this period ofprofound transformation that is affecting the whole automotive industry.”