Lotus SUV coming next year
Followed by a large sedan, another crossover, and an EV sports car
Sports car maker Lotus is teasing four new electric models that it plans to introduce over the next five years. Yes, one of those will be a crossover, the brand’s first, to the disappointment of some but the surprise of nobody. And, the company hopes, to the benefit of the company’s bankbook.
The teaser came with the groundbreaking of the Lotus Technology global HQ in Wuhan, China. Lotus Technology is a new division of the group that looks like it plans to offer a role similar to Lotus Engineering, which offers suspension and chassis development services as well as engine design for other automakers. In this case, it will do that with batteries and EV tech.
Next year, the Type 132 (a code name) SUV will debut in the E-segment. Think BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE-sized. The year after will be a same-segment four-door coupe (5er and E-Class), followed by an X3-size SUV (the Type 134) in 2025. An all-new electric sports car, the Type 135, will join the lineup in 2026.
These large cars will be sold alongside the Evija electric hypercar and the last Lotus gas-powered sports car, the Emira.
Lotus plans a new architecture that will support vehicles with a wheelbase range from 2,889 mm to 3,100 mm. It will support all of their vehicles from C to E segments and support 92-120 kWh battery packs.
The automaker also unveiled a new “track-level intelligent drive” concept. The goal of this driver assist tech is to “assist drivers to perform as well as an F1 driver on track, while increasing driver safety and improving performance on the road.”
