Production is expected to begin later this year in China.
The un-named SUV will usher in an all-new era for the British automaker.
Lotus’ outlook on life changed dramatically when Geely bought them out back in the summer of 2017. Since then, many plans have been hatched including the coming of not one but two utility vehicles over the coming years. The first, codenamed Type 132, will officially premiere next month.
With Geely’s backing, Lotus will be reborn as an EV company with, as always, an emphasis on performance. The Type 132 will be assembled on the Lotus Electric Premium Architecture (EPA), one of the four new Lotus vehicle platforms announced. This same architecture should find its way under many upcoming vehicles as it is modular and can be adapted to suit various body types.
Depending on the configuration, it can provide between 2,889mm to 3,100mm for a wheelbase, fit batteries with a capacity of between 92kWh and 120kWh battery, and features a fast-charging 800V system. With the larger battery, the range is expected to be more than 632km WLTP according to Car News China. Lotus states that vehicles developed on this platform will be capable of 0-100km/h acceleration in under three seconds.
The Type 132 will be BMW X5-like in size and not could but will become Lotus’ best-seller. That is until the anticipated smaller utility vehicle arrives shortly thereafter.
