- The ballistic Lotus Evija electric hypercar marks the beginning of the transformation.
- The next new car from Lotus will feature an ICE but it will be the last.
- There will be no in-between hybrid or PHEV models.
With Geely firmly and enthusiastically backing up the near 75-year old Lotus brand, a move to an all-electric future could allow the sports car company to thrive. The limited-run electric hypercar that is the Evija will serve to showcase Lotus’ abilities much like the P1 has for McLaren.
In an interview with Auto Express, Lotus CEO, Phil Popham, said: “One thing we do believe in is the future of battery electric vehicles, and our intention is to offer BEV on our products in future.
“BEV is really well suited to sports cars – the torque characteristics, the weight distribution, design and flexibility of dynamics. For me, it all leads to BEV as the ultimate technology for sports cars.”
But before the next fully-electric car arrives, Lotus will reveal a new and final internal-combustion engine sports car sometime this year. At one point, this new car’s engine was to be supported by electrification but it would as though that’s changed.
The next full EV, built on an all-new platform, is not expected before the end of 2022. Of the numerous changes that will come with is the fact that Lotus’ pricing structure will likely move up and away from the current £45,000-£85,000 (in the UK) with base models starting well into six-figure territory in North America.