Luxury and performance marques push back on full electrification, vow to keep petrol engines for now
From Ford’s Mustang to Lamborghini and Aston Martin, executives cite customer demand, market timing and technical limits as reasons to delay or avoid all‑electric high‑performance models
Several high‑performance car brands have publicly pledged to retain internal combustion engines for core models, citing customer demand, slow uptake for high‑end electric vehicles and uncertainty over timing for suitable battery technology.
Executives at Ford, Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Morgan and Toyota’s Gazoo Racing unit have said they will continue to offer petrol‑powered versions of their flagship cars for the foreseeable future, even as mass‑market manufacturers roll out battery electric alternatives. Ford chief executive Jim Farley told Autocar in 2024 that the company will "never make an all‑electric Mustang" and said he wanted the V8 to remain "as long as God and the politicians let us." The Mustang has been in continuous production since 1964, and Ford has already used the Mustang name on an electric crossover, the Mustang Mach‑E, which arrived in 2021 and delivers high performance but is not intended as a direct replacement for the traditional V8 sports car.
Other niche and luxury marques have set out similar positions. Morgan CEO Matthew Hole told TopGear that the British coachbuilder will fit internal combustion engines "for as long as we possibly can," while saying an electric programme is running in parallel. Toyota Gazoo Racing president Tomoya Takahashi said his unit remains committed to internal combustion for its GR‑branded performance cars and is pursuing a "multi‑pathway" approach to emissions that may favour hybrids over full battery electrics.
Aston Martin has delayed the debut of its first battery electric vehicle and continues to weigh whether to place EV technology into an existing nameplate or create an incremental new model, chief executive Adrian Hallmark said. Hallmark told Automotive News that a portion of the brand’s customers "hate [EVs] with a deep‑rooted passion because they think they are being told they can't have a V12 or V8," and said the company is sensitive to owners who "love the smell, feel and noise" of petrol engines. Lamborghini chief executive Stephan Winkelmann said the timing of electrification matters and that the Italian maker does not "need to be there at the beginning," suggesting the firm will introduce battery models only when market demand and technology align. Lamborghini in late 2024 moved the expected launch of a production EV based on its Lanzador concept back from 2028 to 2029 and has signalled its Urus successor will initially be offered as a plug‑in hybrid rather than a full EV.
Executives framed their statements as pragmatic responses to current demand and technical limitations, rather than outright rejection of electrification. Morgan said it is monitoring developments in lightweight solid‑state batteries before shifting away from its conventional engines. Toyota’s Gazoo Racing emphasised investment in future internal‑combustion technologies while also pursuing hybridisation to reduce carbon emissions. Ford’s position is complicated by its use of the Mustang name on both a traditional V8 coupe and the electric Mach‑E crossover, a disparity that has drawn public commentary and confusion.
Automakers’ careful positioning comes amid wider industry momentum toward electrification. Mainstream models from multiple manufacturers now have electric equivalents; UK best sellers such as the Ford Puma have been offered as EVs, and mainstream ranges include offerings such as the Vauxhall e‑Corsa and BMW’s i7 as a battery alternative to the 7 Series. Yet the high‑end performance segment has shown weaker demand for full battery vehicles, according to executives, prompting some brands to delay launches or pursue hybrid options as a compromise.
Industry observers say the economics and engineering of producing high‑performance electric vehicles differ from mass‑market EVs. Packaging heavy battery packs while maintaining supercar handling and the acoustic and tactile characteristics prized by performance‑car buyers presents technical tradeoffs. For some manufacturers with small volumes and bespoke production methods, those tradeoffs translate into greater risk if they move too quickly to full electrification.
Regulatory timelines and market regulation remain an underlying uncertainty. Several executives acknowledged that outright bans on combustion engines in some jurisdictions could force a different course in the future, but they added that until then their companies will pursue multiple pathways, including hybrids, incremental electrification and continued development of cleaner combustion technologies.
The stance of these manufacturers highlights a broader tension within the auto industry: balancing long‑term regulatory and environmental goals with the short‑term realities of customer preferences and technological readiness in the luxury performance segment. For now, buyers seeking traditional V8s and V12s appear likely to have choices for several more model years, while firms retain the option to introduce battery models as demand and technology evolve.