Lotus

New Lotus Evija electric hypercar makes dynamic video debut

The new Lotus Evija, an all-electric hypercar claimed to be “the most powerful production car in the world”, has entered its initial build phase at the company’s facility in Norfolk, UK.  The announcement, which comes as the car makes its Chinese public debut at the Guangzhou motor show, also comes as dynamic testing of the car begins at Lotus’ Hethel test track. A new video (below) shows the car being driven at speed for the first time.  Gavan Kershaw, Director of Vehicle Attributes at Lotus, says “Physical prototype testing at speed is a landmark moment for the Evija and hugely exciting for everyone involved. Our aim is to make sure it’s a true Lotus in every sense, with exceptional performance that’s going to set new standards in the hypercar sector.”  While most track testing will be done at Hethel, Lotus claims it will use other demanding European circuits, too. “Over the coming months several prototypes will cover many thousands of miles and hundreds of hours of driving assessment, including on public roads” the maker said in a release. Production will commence fully in the middle of next year.  An output of 1973bhp is promised, which is more than the upcoming 1888bhp Pininfarina Battista and Rimac C_Two, and the 1479bhp internally combusted Bugatti Chiron currently in production.  No more than 130 of the two-seat hypercars will be built, each priced at £2.04 million. “Target specifications” include four-wheel drive, 1254lb ft and torque vectoring, giving it a 0-62mph time of less than three seconds, a 0-186mph time of less than nine seconds and a top speed of 200mph-plus. A production slot can be reserved with a refundable £250,000 deposit.  The Evija, apparently pronounced ‘E-vi-ya’, will be Lotus’s first new-model launch under Geely ownership, and is the maker’s first all-new model for more than a decade. It will be made at the company’s traditional home in Hethel, Norfolk, and will act “as a ‘halo’ for the rest of the Lotus range” both now and for “new Lotus performance cars to come”.  The car pictured here in a studio is for show, but Lotus’s design director, Russell Carr, told Autocar that “this is how it’ll be on the road. This is very much the production car. All the surfaces are made to production level.”  The Evija, which is codenamed Type 130, is low and broad, at 4.59m long, 2.0m wide and 1.12m high. According to Lotus, it “marks the beginning of a contemporary new Lotus design language”.  “We wanted from the start to do something that was pure, simple, but have a sense of luxury and elegance about it,” said Carr. “On the outside, we started by thinking ‘what are the existing factors from the Lotus DNA that we want to keep?’, and really important for us were the strong haunches you see on the car. It’s very important when you’re sitting inside that you can see the corners of the vehicle – it helps you place the car on the track. It’s also just a very emotional thing to see the bodywork; rearwards as well.”  “We have the cabin sat low within those fenders, which are really important to us because the car’s all about dynamics,” said Carr, “and if the cabin sits low and the fenders are pronounced, you have the impression that the car’s got a low centre of gravity.”  Around the overall design simplicity come some advanced aerodynamics (see Carr QA, below), which direct air flow over, under and through the car, creating a complex body shape with vast scoops running through the rear three-quarters, and exiting at the back.  The design is permitted by the adoption of electric drive. “That certainly gives us a lot more freedom, yes,” said Carr. “You’ve obviously got battery packs that can be placed in certain places, and it’s certainly different from a traditional combustion engine, and we’ve tried to exploit that as much as possible.”  Lotus hasn’t yet revealed how many electric motors the car will have or where they’ll be positioned, but its partnership with Williams Advanced Engineering – which is, among other things, the supplier of batteries to the Formula E grid – will be key to the Evija’s performance.  Lotus said the Evija will have a 70kWh battery, capable of being charged at up to 350kW, enabling an 18-minute charge with a WLTP range of around 250 miles. The charge port is at the rear of the car.  Construction is from carbonfibre, both for the chassis and the body. Light weight is core to all Lotus models and the Evija weighs several hundred kilos less than the Battista and C_Two are reported to be, although they have more battery capacity. Even so, at 1680kg, the Evija is likely to become the heaviest Lotus ever. Despite this, Lotus boldly claims it will “set a new standard for Lotus driving performance” and be “the most dynamically accomplished road car in the history of Lotus”.  Inside, the carbonfibre construction remains visible in what’s a relatively spacious cockpit. “The start point is a floating beam, this open instrument panel you can place
Origin: New Lotus Evija electric hypercar makes dynamic video debut

Used car buying guide: Lotus Elan S2

It’s the Cinderella of British sports cars, the one polishing the taps, ironing the smalls and emptying the dishwasher while its sister, the Elise, enjoys the limelight.  It is, of course, the Elan two-seat roadster. Not the legendary first-gen car from the 1960s, but the so-called M100 series launched in 1989, coincidentally the same year the Mazda MX-5 Mk1 came out.  It was unfortunate timing. While the Mazda ironically borrowed much from the original Elan, in particular its longitudinal front-engined, rear-drive layout, the new M100 had its engine across the front wheels and was front-wheel drive. Purists were naturally upset, but a test drive usually won them over.  The new car, which at least followed Lotus principles in having a lightweight composite body attached to a rigid steel backbone chassis, was funded by General Motors. The US giant also had a share in Isuzu, the Japanese car maker which supplied the Elan’s impressively reliable engines: a choice of 1.6 naturally aspirated and turbocharged units, both heavily modified by Lotus. The former produced 128bhp and the latter, badged SE and easily the more popular, a useful 163bhp.  For a time sales were strong, helped by rave reviews from no less a magazine than this. It was all in vain. The car’s less than spectacular looks, high production cost and that perverse layout slowly did for it, and GM pulled the plug in 1992.  These first-gen Elans are called Series 1s to distinguish them from the S2s that followed in 1995 after Bugatti bought Lotus and, on discovering a stash of surplus engines, gave the car a second chance. At the same time the handling was sharpened slightly but power knocked back to 156bhp due to the fitment of a catalytic converter. Even so, these rarer S2s now fetch a premium over the more plentiful S1, but ultimately condition is king.  All too soon there were no more engines and S2 production ended, only to be revived briefly when Kia bought the rights to the model and dashed off a few examples for the Korean market.  Forward to today and, thanks to Isuzu’s engines and GM’s cash, the model has weathered the passing years surprisingly well. ‘Buyer beware’ (see below) highlights a few things to watch for, but if you find a cherished example with a good history, it should serve you well. It certainly won’t feel as baggy as early Elises can.  And just look at those prices. They top out at around £12,000, about where the Elise starts. In fact, £7500 to £10,000 is enough to get behind the wheel of a keeper in need of little attention apart from fresh oil and a new filter on the dot.  Will prices rise? Specialist Vincent Haydon reckons that as long as Elise values increase, Elans are sure to, but he warns against restoring a barn find at great expense. The model’s just not there yet. Perhaps one day… An expert’s view  Vincent Haydon, Vincent Haydon Cars: “As a former Lotus dealer I well remember the Elan. There was a huge push on the Esprit with sales incentives and all sorts, but any objection to the Elan being front-wheel drive was easily countered by giving a customer the keys to the demonstrator. They’d come back with a huge smile and we had another sale in the bag. It helped, too, that it had an Isuzu engine, because people knew it wouldn’t go wrong. Today, they’re a bargain. From £7500 to £10,000 will get you a tidy one with a solid history – and it must be solid because they do like their oil changes.”  Buyer beware…  ■ Engine: The Isuzu engine is bulletproof if regularly serviced. Evidence of fresh oil and a filter every 6000 miles is essential. Check coolant hoses for leaks and clips for corrosion.  ■ Gearbox: Another toughie, with synchro problems largely unknown. Linkages can wear, especially the ball link at the end of the shift cable – it can become disconnected. Feel for clutch slip: if it bites close to the top of the pedal’s travel, it’s on the way out.  ■ Suspension and brakes: Check rear suspension for corrosion caused by moisture between it and the body (we saw an Elan with newly fitted galvanised wishbones, which are a good mod). Otherwise the suspension is tough, although at this age you can expect to find the odd leaky damper or broken spring. Wheel geometry is adjustable all round, so uneven tyre wear may suggest it needs a tweak.  ■ Interior: Quality here lags behind the rest of the car thanks to low-rent GM parts. At least spares are freely available. Leather trim was below par and expect to have to retrim the driver’s seat.  ■ Body: Paint crazing is rare so any you see may be repair-related. Shutlines are generally good and a wayward door or bonnet may just need adjusting. Check for worn door and boot seals, which will let in water.  ■ Roof: Check for a warped frame and general wear and tear. It should sit properly, but even then it’s likely to let in rain. Also worth knowing  For the Elan driver who has everything, how about that final touch: the Lotus certificate of
Origin: Used car buying guide: Lotus Elan S2

Buy It! Snatch this 1956 Lotus 11 Le Mans and add lightness

In the 1950s, the name of the game was lightness, and there was no company that could do lightness better than Lotus. The 11 in particular was the brands super-light attempt to win Le Mans. Find it here, on Bring a Trailer.Under the exceptionally featherweight hood of the 11 is a 1,460-cc Coventry Climax four-cylinder.It doesnt make a lot of horsepower or torque, but it only weighs 450 kg, which contributed to it reaching 230 km/h at Monza when driven by Stirling Moss.Power is sent to the rear wheels via a Sprite close-ratio four-speed transmission, and a Quaife limited-slip differential. The wheels are 15-inch painted Dayton wire wheels, wrapped in new Dunlop L-series rubber.The body was designed by aerodynamicist Frank Costin; that shell is constructed of 20-gauge aluminum stretched over a tubular space frame.This particular car has already had some success in racing (no surprises there), originally competing at Silverstone in 1956 and 1957 by Club Lotus Team member Tony Ellis. The car was brought to the U.S. in 1986, and it was given a full restoration before the current owner bought it in 2000.Since the millenium, its been raced in 24 events, including the Lotus Eleven 50th Anniversary races at the Monterey Historics and Sebring in 2006, as well as at Watkins Glen, Mid-Ohio, Road America and the Pittsburgh Vintage GP.The frame has been replaced with a brand-new one, but the original is included with the sale, along with a box of spare
Origin: Buy It! Snatch this 1956 Lotus 11 Le Mans and add lightness

Lotus updates 2020 Evora GT with a laundry list of performance goodies

2020 Lotus Evora GTLotus Lotus has taken its flagship light sportscar, the Evora 410, and added more of everything that makes a sports car great to create the Evora GT more lightness, more downforce, and more power.To reduce weight, the rear bumper, front fenders, rear wheel arch vents, Sparco bucket seats, and side sills are carbon fibre, and if you want it even lighter, you can spec the door sills, rear diffuser, and rear trunk hatch in carbon fibre as well.With all that extra weight taken off, Lotus added a new front splitter and rear diffuser, giving the Evora GT an extra 141 pounds of downforce to keep it stuck to the ground. The side of the car is also sculpted to reduce drag, and front wheel arch louvres and carbon fibre ducts behind the rear wheels vent away high-pressure air. Power comes from a Toyota-sourced V6, and although that doesnt sound that interesting at first, 416 horsepower from 3.5 supercharged litres should change your mind thats an extra six horsepower over the Evora 410. The engine sits behind the driver and is paired to a six-speed manual, letting the Lotus hop from zero to 96 km/h in 3.8 seconds a tenth of a second quicker than the available automatic. As for torque, 317 lb.-ft. is available on manual cars, while the automatic gets 332. Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires are wrapped around 19-inch forged wheels, and lightweight two-piece disc brakes bring it all to a halt.As Lotus gears up to release the Evija and trigger the beginning of the end of its gasoline-powered sports cars, the Evora GT surely be remembered as one of the greats. Well be sad to see it go, but well love to watch it leave.Canadian pricing has not been announced, but in the U.S., the Evora GT will start at
Origin: Lotus updates 2020 Evora GT with a laundry list of performance goodies

The Lotus Evija is a 2,000-hp electric hypercar

Lotus Evija electric hypercar is, according to the British marque, the worlds most powerful production car, but it looks to be a lot more than just that.The car, revealed July 16, is the first completely new vehicle Lotus has built in decades, but it looks like the wait was worth it.The entire monocoque is made of carbon fibre, and weighs a scant 284 pounds; magnesium wheels take even more weight off, and its got carbon-ceramic brakes hiding behind them. The entire vehicle weighs just 1,680 kg, which is actually fairly light considering where most electric sports cars these days fall on the scale.Speaking of electricity, it has 70 of them. Kilowatt-hours in the battery, that is. Maximum output is a whopping 2,000 kW, which can send the vehicle to 250 km/h in just nine seconds, and way over that not much later. Each of the four electric motors has a target output of 492 horsepower, making for a combined output equivalent to 1,968 horsepower. This ticks all the boxes for a hypercar it even nails the looks, with an aesthetic perfect for a bedroom wall poster, though so does everything else these days. The back of the vehicle looks like Spider-Mans mask, and with almost 2,000 horsepower on tap, youd better hope that its as sticky as the webslingers fingers. The four-wheel-drive will help, as will the Pirelli Trofeo R tires.The battery is also placed behind the driver instead of underneath the floor; Lotus says this gives the car a better look, better weight distribution and better handling.The price? Dumb. You shouldnt even ask, but since you are, its 1.7-million pounds ($2.7 million). Yowww, that is just insane. Only 130 customers will even have the chance to fork over that kind of cash for this thing now we totally get the Evijas code name, the Type
Origin: The Lotus Evija is a 2,000-hp electric hypercar

Lotus CEO Phil Popham on the Evija hypercar, future plans and Brexit

Lotus has just revealed the 1973bhp Evija, the all-electric hypercar it claims will be “the most powerful production car in the world”. Talking to Autocar at the reveal event, CEO Phil Popham explains the thinking behind the Evija and the next steps for the iconic sports car brand. Why have you chosen to build a car like this — so exclusive and expensive? Popham: “We believe that if you want to make ripples, you have to made a splash. If you want to be on the map, you have to make a mark. This car shows what our future can be like. It shows what we can do, and it paves the way for future visionary Lotus models.” Does it mean you’re planning a succession of hyper-expensive models? “First of all, our 10-year plan, which we call Vision 80, contains a commitment to be ‘for the driver’, first, last and always. Lotus models will always be at the heart of driver involvement and enjoyment. But the range of cars we have now runs from the mid £50,000s to well over £100,000 and we see our core future models, apart from our new Hypercar, as continuing to be in the that range. Having said that, we do believe the Lotus brand has the equity to go beyond where it is. But that’s not our immediate strategy.” What is your immediate strategy? “After we’ve built our 130 hypercars we’ll concentrate on rebuilding our core sports car range. We will have a combustion-powered sports car to show you towards the end of next year, for sale after that. Beyond that car, every Lotus, in whatever segment, will have a full electric version.” There’s been a suggestion that in your journey towards electrification you might skip hybrids all together… “That is certainly an option.” How much will you grow under the 10-year plan? “Let’s start from the beginning. We made 1700 cars last year, but as it currently stands Hethel make over 5000 on a single shift. That means over 10,000 on a double shift — and I believe we’ll outgrow Hethel in its current guise. After all, we have an ambitious plan to move into new segments.” What will you do when you’ve outgrown Hethel? “We can either do something radical at Hethel, or we can move somewhere else as well. But it’s important to say that making cars in different locations wouldn’t change the DNA of the company. We won’t build anything unless it’s a) profitable, and b) can be called a true Lotus. And we’d never made the same car in multiple locations.” Isn’t your ‘For the driver’ strap-line rather time-limited? Surely we’re moving closer to full autonomy? “I don’t believe it will become time expired. Progress with other, much bigger manufacturers tends to focus on mobility and ownership models, which are leading to cars becoming commoditised. But a Lotus will always be a car to use and enjoy in your leisure time. But we’ll certainly harness some of the great technology of the future.” How do you believe Brexit is affecting Lotus? “Our message to the government over the past three years hasn’t changed: we just need to get this deal done. And it now looks like that’s what will happen. Even if we exit without a deal, we believe other deals will be done; we have hundreds of years of history as a trading nation to help us through. Meanwhile at Lotus we’re taking short-term contingency steps. We’re planning for some disruption. But nothing about Brexit will change our core
Origin: Lotus CEO Phil Popham on the Evija hypercar, future plans and Brexit

Lotus reveals 1973bhp Evija as world’s most powerful production car

Lotus has revealed the Evija, the all-electric hypercar it claims will be “the most powerful production car in the world”. An output of 1973bhp is promised when it hits roads next year, which is more than the upcoming 1888bhp Pininfarina Battista and Rimac C_Two, and the 1479bhp internally combusted Bugatti Chiron currently in production.  No more than 130 of the two-seat hypercars will be built, each priced at £2.04 million. “Target specifications” include four-wheel drive, 1254lb ft and torque vectoring, giving it a 0-62mph time of less than three seconds, a 0-186mph time of less than nine seconds and a top speed of 200mph-plus. A production slot can be reserved with a refundable £250,000 deposit.  The Evija, apparently pronounced ‘E-vi-ya’, will be Lotus’s first new-model launch under Geely ownership, and is the maker’s first all-new model for more than a decade. It will be made at the company’s traditional home in Hethel, Norfolk, and will act “as a ‘halo’ for the rest of the Lotus range” both now and for “new Lotus performance cars to come”.  The car pictured here in a studio is for show, but Lotus’s design director, Russell Carr, told Autocar that “this is how it’ll be on the road. This is very much the production car. All the surfaces are made to production level.”  The Evija, which is codenamed Type 130, is low and broad, at 4.59m long, 2.0m wide and 1.12m high. According to Lotus, it “marks the beginning of a contemporary new Lotus design language”.  “We wanted from the start to do something that was pure, simple, but have a sense of luxury and elegance about it,” said Carr. “On the outside, we started by thinking ‘what are the existing factors from the Lotus DNA that we want to keep?’, and really important for us were the strong haunches you see on the car. It’s very important when you’re sitting inside that you can see the corners of the vehicle – it helps you place the car on the track. It’s also just a very emotional thing to see the bodywork; rearwards as well.”  “We have the cabin sat low within those fenders, which are really important to us because the car’s all about dynamics,” said Carr, “and if the cabin sits low and the fenders are pronounced, you have the impression that the car’s got a low centre of gravity.”  Around the overall design simplicity come some advanced aerodynamics (see Carr QA, below), which direct air flow over, under and through the car, creating a complex body shape with vast scoops running through the rear three-quarters, and exiting at the back.  The design is permitted by the adoption of electric drive. “That certainly gives us a lot more freedom, yes,” said Carr. “You’ve obviously got battery packs that can be placed in certain places, and it’s certainly different from a traditional combustion engine, and we’ve tried to exploit that as much as possible.”  Lotus hasn’t yet revealed how many electric motors the car will have or where they’ll be positioned, but its partnership with Williams Advanced Engineering – which is, among other things, the supplier of batteries to the Formula E grid – will be key to the Evija’s performance.  Lotus said the Evija will have a 70kWh battery, capable of being charged at up to 350kW, enabling an 18-minute charge with a WLTP range of around 250 miles. The charge port is at the rear of the car.  Construction is from carbonfibre, both for the chassis and the body. Light weight is core to all Lotus models and the Evija weighs several hundred kilos less than the Battista and C_Two are reported to be, although they have more battery capacity. Even so, at 1680kg, the Evija is likely to become the heaviest Lotus ever. Despite this, Lotus boldly claims it will “set a new standard for Lotus driving performance” and be “the most dynamically accomplished road car in the history of Lotus”.  Inside, the carbonfibre construction remains visible in what’s a relatively spacious cockpit. “The start point is a floating beam, this open instrument panel you can place your hand right through,” said Carr. “The inspiration for that came from classic racing cars, from the 1950s and ’60s, in which you can see the structure. In those days it would have been tubular, but on this it’s carbonfibre.  “We wanted to use carbonfibre, and once we got into that we started looking at wishbones on racing cars. We looked at modern racing bicycles as well, and that informed some of the sections and forms that go in there. And that’s really become a very distinctive part of this interior. If you love modern racing bikes or componentry on racing cars, you’ll recognise that.”  “It’s a nice shape to use as well, with the wing profile, and adds a strong aeronautical flavour on the whole car. It’s very distinctive,” Carr added. “There’s a certain luxury to space and in such cars you can feel very claustrophobic. This feels open.”  That’s in stark contrast to another upcoming hypercar, the Aston Martin Valkyrie, with the implication that the
Origin: Lotus reveals 1973bhp Evija as world’s most powerful production car

Lotus Evija: electric hypercar to be revealed later today

Lotus will reveal its groundbreaking all-electric Evija hypercar later today. It will be shown at an exclusive event in Central London this evening, barely a few months after Autocar first revealed the project.  Pronounced “eh-vi-ya”, meaning ‘the living one’, or ‘first in existence’, the Evija is shaping up to be the most ambitious car in the firm’s history. Lotus recently confirmed for the first time exactly how many examples will be produced. 130 are planned to be made available to own, up from previous estimates after “several hundred potential owners came forward to express their interest in the new car”. It will be built in Norfolk alongside the rest of the maker’s range. The Evija will be Lotus’s first all-new production car since 2008. Lotus also claims it will be the first fully electric hypercar built and to go on sale from a British manufacturer. A preview image has been released showing a side profile of the new car, and Autocar was recently given an exclusive walk-around of a full-size clay model at the firm’s Hethel base. The model’s previous Type 130 moniker was a reference to a number of innovative models that have appeared throughout the Norfolk brand’s 71-year history, beginning with the Type 14 Elite in 1957 – claimed to be the world’s first composite monocoque production car. The most recent, the Type 111 (the world’s first aluminium and bonded extrusion construction road car) became the Elise.  As the official picture suggests, the Evija is low and wide. Lotus design director Russell Carr, who showed the model to Autocar, says it is a similar length to the existing Evora – which is 4.4 metres long – but will sit closer to the ground and be nearly two metres wide. It uses a carbonfibre structure and will be built in Hethel away from the company’s main production line. The cabin is tightly proportioned and adopts the teardrop form familiar from hypercars like the Ford GT40, to better allow airflow to pass around it. The most impressive feature is one that isn’t hinted at by the official rendering – two substantial air tunnels in the rear bodywork which have the tail light elements integrated around their exists. It’s a detail that Carr says has been inspired by the venturi tunnels of LMP sports prototype racing cars. The battery pack will be positioned entirely behind the passenger compartment, with drive sent to all four wheels. No other details are forthcoming at the moment, beyond the fact – as previously reported – that the powertrain is being developed by Williams Advanced Engineering, making this a collaboration between two of the most famous names in Formula 1 history. Lotus boss Phil Popham promises an “entirely appropriate” level of performance for the Evija’s target market and what will be a seven figure pricetag. The total system output is tipped to exceed 1000bhp. It is also set to offer a range of more than 250 miles. Both the battery pack and the pushrod-operated rear suspension will be visible beneath a transparent cover, with Carr saying the plan is for the huge aero tunnels to also incorporate lighting elements. The rear licence plate surround will be removable to help improve performance when the car is used on track. Downforce will be generated from a substantial underbody diffuser and there will also be moveable wing elements and a drag-reducing DRS system. Inside the cabin will feature plenty of carbonfibre and a digital instrument pack, but will also have conventional switchgear rather than a touchscreen interface. “You want to be able to find things without taking your eyes off the road in a car like this,” Carr said. Carr also claimed there will be more room and shoulder space than in a Ford GT or Aston Martin Valkyrie, with moveable seats rather than moveable pedals.  “We’re trying to get the balance between prestige and luxury right,” Carr said, “but also to make clear that it’s a very high performance car. We don’t want people to think it’s a stripped-out track day monster, it will be much more practical than that. But equally we don’t want to make a Bugatti either, it has to be a Lotus.” Other neat details include a camera rear view system which will use deployable pods that motor out of the scissor-opening doors, and which relay images onto display screens. It’s a very similar system to the one the forthcoming McLaren Speedtail will have. “We were frustrated when we saw those,” Carr admits, “we’d been working on them for some
Origin: Lotus Evija: electric hypercar to be revealed later today

Lotus’ first all-electric hypercar will debut July

Colin Chapman is widely credited with coining the creed “simplify and add lightness.” Whether that attribution is accurate or not is up for debate, but what cannot be disputed is that the company’s current owners are determined to drag the British marque into the 21st century. They’re thinking—simplify and add electrons, and why not? It’s been a minute since Lotus introduced a new car; over ten years, in fact. Earlier this year, the brand confirmed at the Shanghai Auto Show it’d be unveiling an all-electric hypercar, dubbed the Type 130. We now know it is set to appear at an event in London in mid-July, on the 16. Thanks to a new teaser video, we also have a clue as to a few of its details. https://youtu.be/XJ-zYTBoue0 Kicking off with a panning shot of a badge reading “Hand built in Britain by Lotus” should have petrolheads across the U.K. beaming with national pride. That same badge is then shown residing underneath a retractable cover, whose panel also houses a charging port. That port, by the way, seems shaped to accept electricity from fast-chargers, meaning even if the Type 130’s battery pack is small, it won’t take long to refill. Beyond that, the car is a bit of mystery. One can assume the red trim bookending the charging port opening’s edges are tail lamps, while the illuminated L O T U S’ billboard is a slick interpretation of the traditional badge found on cars like the Elise and Evora. Betting on all-wheel drive is a smart move, since most performance vehicles powered by electrons send juice to the four corners thanks to two or more electric motors. Interested? The car should begin finding its way into customer hands sometime next
Origin: Lotus’ first all-electric hypercar will debut July