Lotus has launched today its own electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions including an ultra-fast 450 kW DC charger, power cabinet and a modular unit for charging up to four vehicles at once.

Charging anxiety remains one of the main barriers to electric vehicle adoption, with nearly 80% of the public citing the lack of charging infrastructure as a primary reason for not buying an EV in a survey conducted by the Energy Policy Institute. With Lotus’ charging capabilities, the company is providing consumers with reliability and confidence wherever they are driving.

The new suite of EV charging solutions designed for businesses includes:

• Liquid-Cooled All-in-One DC Charger: a new charger, which offers ultra-fast charging of up to 450 kW. For example, with the Lotus Eletre R, it can add up to 88.5 miles or 142 km of range with approximately 5 minutes of charge making it one of the most competitive electric vehicle chargers. A 10% to 80% charge can be achieved in just 20 minutes with a range extension of 74 miles or 120 kilometres from a 5-minute charge when using a 350 kW Rapid Charger.
  
  
• Liquid-Cooled Power Cabinet: a modular power cabinet that is suited for spaces that require high energy in order to increase efficiency and minimise charging time, such as motorway rest stops. It offers market-leading power output capabilities of up to 480 kW.
  
  
• Liquid-Cooled Charging Unit: a charging terminal, which when used with the Liquid-Cooled Power Cabinet, can charge up to four vehicles at once. The unit has a maximum current output of 600 Amp, which ensures it is able to meet the needs of all electric vehicle drivers. For instance, if they need a short top-up whilst on the go, or fast-charge for long distance drives, Lotus’ new offering provides them with a convenient solution.

Lotus is using liquid-cooled technologies throughout its suite of commercial charging solutions to make it easier and quicker for EV drivers to charge their vehicles.

Lotus’ fast-charging solutions have already been deployed in China and are expected to roll out across the majority of European countries and Middle East in Q2 2024. Further market availability will be announced in due course.

As charging infrastructure improves over time, Lotus is ensuring its customers are equipped by providing a 450 kW solution. Lotus has futureproofed its charging offering, which is expected to be the next step forward in fast charging when the infrastructure becomes readily available. Lotus customers will be able to easily upgrade to this power output without additional hardware costs once in-market service providers rollout grid upgrades.

Mike Johnstone, Chief Commercial Officer at Lotus Group, said: “Over the past six years, Lotus has been investing in the technology and infrastructure to accelerate the transition to electrification. We want to make it easier than ever to own an electric vehicle and with our latest offerings, Lotus is able to provide customers with the confidence to access easy, fast, and efficient charging.”

Alan Wang, Vice-President of Lotus Technology and CEO at Lotus Flash Charge, said: “As more governments are increasing investment into electrification in their journey to net-zero, the demand for a reliable electric vehicle charging infrastructure has never been higher than before. Lotus has developed best-in-class fast charging solutions to deliver a quick and reliable charging experience to meet customer needs.”

In 2018, Lotus announced its Vision80 strategy and plans to transform the brand from a British sports car maker to an all-electric global luxury technology brand by 2028. As part of this transition, the company is committed to developing its own range of EV charging solutions.

The company launched its first electric hyper-SUV Eletre in 2022, with customer deliveries across UK, Europe and China taking place this year. Lotus recently launched Emeya, its next-generation electric hyper-GT, in early September 2023.

Both vehicles integrate hardware, software, and cloud capabilities to develop a full stack of intelligent driving technologies. They also include HD cameras, radar, and high-precision mapping capabilities to allow the vehicles to precisely perceive their environment in a stereoscopic display, providing a smooth drive even in extreme conditions. Lotus will continue to expand its range of premium electric vehicles, as the company looks to scale in this growing market.

Lotus has seen a huge demand for its products, with an orderbook of over 19,000 vehicles for its Emira sports car and Eletre hyper-SUV. The company has ramped up production this year, having had a record-breaking first half of 2023, and expects the full year to surpass all previous years.

Lotus today has announced the company has opened its flagship showroom in Dosandae-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

The new store can be found at the heart of one of Seoul’s most famous streets known for luxury and fashion. It brings together Lotus’ rich 75-year heritage with the latest technologies to provide customers with an exclusive and immersive entry point into the Lotus brand in South Korea.

Spanning across three floors, and almost 720 square metres space, the showroom features seven Lotus vehicles. It provides consumers with an opportunity to see and experience the Lotus product range including its sportscar Emira, and electric hyper-SUV Eletre.

It also offers a VIP lounge and bespoke digital experience, where customers will be able to personalise their own vehicles. Consumers will also be able to purchase Lotus merchandise in store.

This is the brand’s first showroom in South Korea, one of the fastest growing luxury markets in the world. It forms part of Lotus’ strategic business growth plans in Asia, as the company continues to scale globally - part of its Vision80 strategy to become an all-electric global luxury technology brand by 2028.

Mike Johnstone, Chief Commercial Officer at Lotus Group said: “We are passionate about creating spaces that bring the Lotus brand to life and resonate with local consumers. This new flagship showroom demonstrates our commitment to just that and offers a bespoke entry point to our British brand. I look forward to welcoming many more customers into the Lotus community, as a result.” 

The announcement comes on the heels of Lotus’ partnership with local luxury and premium automotive retailer Kolon Mobility Group (KMG), who are the official importer and sole distributor of Lotus in the region.

Lotus began taking reservations for both Emira and Eletre earlier this year and is seeing strong demand for its luxury performance cars. The company will begin customer deliveries in South Korea in H2 2024.

The all-new Lotus Emeya hyper-GT can complete up to 25 trillion operations in the same amount of time it takes the human brain to identify an image, which is approximately 50 milliseconds, or 1/20th of a second.* In an all-electric automotive era, Lotus believes processing power is the new horsepower – and Emeya is a thoroughbred.

Lotus Emeya combines 75 years of heritage with intelligent performance. Its in-vehicle supercomputer is the NVIDIA DRIVE platform, which acts as the brain for Lotus’ intelligent vehicles, providing data centre-class processing power.

Dual NVIDIA DRIVE Orin systems-on-a-chip (SoCs) are used to process data from 34 state-of-the-art-surround sensors up to 30 times a second, offering 360-degree perception with no blind spots.

Four deployable LiDARs, 18 radars, seven 8 mp cameras and five 2 mp cameras combine to ensure driver confidence by scanning for obstacles at a radius of up to 200m around the car, in every direction, even in low light or inclement weather. They even reconstruct a virtual environment around the vehicle to define the best trajectory – an essential requirement in an autonomous future.

All of this processing power comes from two NVIDIA SoCs, which combined deliver 508 trillion operations per second, or TOPS, of compute in a compact form factor, measuring the size of a postage stamp, just 3mm thick.

Built on the automotive manufacturer’s innovative and versatile Electric Premium Architecture (EPA) that already underpins the Eletre hyper-SUV, the Emeya hyper-GT is Lotus’ latest iteration of a car that is truly for the drivers.

Maximilian Szwaj, Vice-President of Lotus Technology and Managing Director, LTIC said: “Processing power is quickly becoming the new horsepower. That’s why, with Emeya, we’ve built a supercomputer on wheels. It is packed with high-tech features designed to provide customers confidence, safety and satisfaction. It is also fully future-proofed and ready for an autonomous future, with software that can be continually updated over the air.”

Ali Kani, Vice President of Automotive at NVIDIA, added: “With NVIDIA DRIVE Orin as the brain of the Emeya, Lotus customers will be able to experience new convenience and safety features throughout the life of the car.”

Powered by technological innovation

The Lotus Emeya hyper-GT hosts a suite of intelligent features, powered by the dual NVIDIA DRIVE Orin configuration, to help drivers maximise the car’s safe and secure driving capabilities and build in the headroom support for future potential features through over-the-air (OTA) software updates. An electronically controlled air suspension feels the road ahead at a rate of 1,000 times per second, making dynamic adjustments to ensure a confident and inspiring ride, which can be for either comfort or spirited driving.

A raft of advanced aerodynamic technologies, including an active front grille, rear diffuser and rear spoiler, combine to smooth airflow and create class-leading levels of downforce. These technologies are spiritual successors to the innovative aerodynamics that shot Lotus to fame on race circuits around the world.

Packaged beneath the floor is a state-of-the-art 800-volt, 102 kWh Lithium-ion battery pack. Compared to conventional 400-volt systems, the 800-volt architecture allows drivers to charge from 10% to 80% in just 18 minutes when connected to a 350kW DC fast charger.

An interior in perfect balance

The interior of Lotus Emeya features a stunning 15.1” OLED touchscreen that displays beautifully crisp, clear images using over 16 million colours, with up to seven configurable screens also available. The central screen and Lotus Emeya’s intelligent ‘Digital Cockpit’ are powered by a dual-configuration setup of Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8155 processor and Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 3 software.

This software and hardware enable the functionality of Lotus’ award-winning Hyper OS. Occupants will now be able to seamlessly operate the user interface with zero lag while also experiencing beautifully rendered real-time graphics with great interactive feedback for complete control.

Drivers can quickly access crucial external environment details using the expansive augmented reality head-up display. It combines real-time road information with navigation and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) data, connecting the driver to the road with instant access to crucial environmental information and avoiding distractions from excessive information.

Smart, intelligent and future-proofed

The Lotus Emeya boasts a state-of-the-art intelligent EV routing system which is capable of learning individual driving patterns, such as departure times, destinations and routes, to offer more personalised journeys.

Backed by future-proofed hardware and software, Emeya not only provides the very latest ADAS functionality but is also purpose-built for a safe, autonomous and connected future. With 5G connectivity enabled, Emeya supports OTA updates to ensure the car is continually improving.

Emeya joins as a flagship model in Lotus’ line-up of luxury lifestyle electric vehicles, part of the company’s vision to become a global performance brand by 2028. Production is expected to begin in 2024.

Details on market availability and pricing will be announced at a future date.

The Lotus Emira GT4 completed a stunning ‘clean sweep’ victory in its international race debut at the Macau Grand Prix in China. TORO Racing drivers Luo Kailuo and Adam Christodoulou took first and second positions, holding a commanding 12-second lead over the third-place finisher.

Both Emira GT4 race cars paid tribute to Lotus' 75 years of successful motorsport heritage and showcased the brand’s classic black and gold livery. Locking out the front row of the grid, they led from the start and were in complete control when the race was stopped early following an on-track incident. Race organisers determined the final positions based on the order before the stoppage, resulting in Luo Kailuo and Adam Christodoulou taking first and second in the GT4 class. Their best lap times were 2:31.392 and 2:31.724 respectively.

The Lotus Emira GT4 has been homologated for competition in global GT4 classes and, thanks to a comprehensive options list, is also eligible for other non-homologated and specialist race series around the world. It is powered by a Lotus-tuned 3.5-litre V6 with Motec engine management and a Harrop TVS 1900 supercharger. It features a Hewland six-speed sequential transmission with paddleshift actuation and limited-slip differential. Power output is 455 bhp with 500Nm of torque, though both were reduced slightly for the Macau Grand Prix to ensure a fair race with all competitors.

Ringo Chong, Team Director at TORO Racing, commented: ”The Emira GT4's three greatest strengths in the race were: first, the centre of gravity is very low, like flying on the ground; second, the car's steering is flexible, which gives the car a good advantage in the sharp corners of the Macau Grand Prix circuit; and third, we have added tuning for the city track and the mountain track to meet the demands of more intense driving.”

Feng Qingfeng, CEO of Lotus Group, was trackside to see the stunning 1-2 finish. He commented: "A racetrack is the only place better suited for a Lotus than the road. Lotus has been competing on the racetrack for 75 years, and championships have been a long-standing tradition for Lotus."

Established in 1954, the Macau Grand Prix is renowned for its challenging circuit. As one of the oldest street races in the world, it combines intricate twists, sharp bends and demanding terrain, pushing high-performance cars and the best drivers to their limits.

Lotus unveils Type 136,  a new performance model featuring the lightest e-bike motor from HPS* to deliver dual-use functionality that will allow riders to go further, faster and higher.

The all-new bike harnesses design and engineering excellence from more than 30 years of road and track cycling success, while incorporating cutting-edge technology from the present day. The striking aero design has been inspired by Lotus’ gold medal-winning success in Olympic velodromes around the world, from the iconic Type 108 bike at the 1992 Barcelona Games to the most recent competition at Tokyo 2020. There the Hope/Lotus track bike helped the Great Britain track cycling team top the event medal table.

Handmade in Italy, the lightweight carbon fibre frame and state-of-the-art components mean Type 136 weighs just 9.8 kilograms. It features V-shaped handlebars, wing-shaped forks, and vaulted chain stays, helping it carve through the air with speed and efficiency.

The innovation continues with the battery, disguised as a water bottle and detached from the frame at the push of a button.

The bike’s Watt Assist Pro Motor system is derived from the Mars Lander Project – where limited weight and zero maintenance were critical factors to the mission’s success. It is the lightest e-bike motor system on the market from HPS* and weighs just 1.2kg in total. An elegant and compact bottom bracket shell that seamlessly integrates into the bike’s frame, the motor itself weighs just 300 grams.

In tribute to Lotus’ tradition of Type numbers for its new models, Type 136 is available as an exclusive limited first edition launch production run of just 136 bikes. These will be individually numbered and available in an iconic motorsport livery. The standard model will go on sale in Spring 2024.

Founded in 1948 and 75 years old this year, Lotus is best known as a global luxury performance brand, world-renowned for the design, engineering and manufacture of thrilling two-seater sports cars such as Esprit, Elise and Elite. Its latest range of all-electric models includes Emeya hyper-GT and Eletre hyper-SUV. The brand’s halo product is Evija, the world’s most powerful series production road car.

Lotus is unique in the automotive industry for its success in the world of track cycling, where its pioneering spirit and passion for pushing the boundaries is legendary. Type 108 rewrote the rule book on bike design and is recognised as one of the most iconic machines of all time, inspiring a generation of professional cyclists such as Sir Chris Hoy.

The six-time Olympic Champion is now a Lotus brand ambassador. Speaking at the world premiere of Type 136, he said: "This is an incredible bike, which says so much about the pioneering endeavours of Lotus and the iconic status of its bikes over the years. As a teenager I vividly remember watching Chris Boardman powering Type 108 to a gold medal in Barcelona in 1992 and smashing records on Type 110 to wear the yellow jersey in the Tour de France two years later.”

Feng Qingfeng, CEO, Lotus Group, commented: "I am proud to launch the Lotus Type 136 as the next chapter in our high-performance journey. For the past 75 years, Lotus has been relentlessly pushing the boundaries of innovation on the road and track. Type 136 shows that we continue to do so. Launching alongside Eletre, Emeya and Evija, it will further expand global perceptions of what to expect from Lotus.”

The Lotus Type 136 was unveiled at an exclusive VIP event at the Lotus London brand store and will be showcased at Rouleur LIVE in London from 2-4 November 2023.

Price information:

First Edition RRP £20,000 / €25,000

For More Information: https://www.lotuscars.com/en-GB/type-136

A single line, running through the profile of the car, from the tip of the nose to the blade of light integrated into the rear. A simple gesture from a creative mind, it’s the design origin behind Emeya, the all-new and all-electric hyper-GT from Lotus.

This single line – the automotive equivalent of a signature swoosh – inspired the ‘hyperstance’, proportions and overall design of Emeya. It seamlessly recaptures the aesthetic of earlier iconic mid-engined Lotus designs whilst carrying it into the future, emphasising dynamism, continuity and agility.

An iconic sports car brand launched in 1948, Lotus rose to fame for its performance-oriented, agile and fun-to-drive two-seaters including Elite, Elan, Esprit, Elise, Evora and, most recently, Emira. Now the brand is transforming.

Emeya draws inspiration from all 75 years of Lotus performance car DNA, whilst being a symbol of progression. It is the future of Lotus. The powerful exterior lines create dramatic musculature, with an ultra-narrow LED running across the rear as part of an intelligent taillight. It’s a theme that translates into the interior, with a further blade of light – and the ‘ribbon of technology’ first seen in the Eletre hyper-SUV – creating a shared user interface for Emeya’s front-seat occupants.

Ben Payne, Vice-President of Design, Lotus, said: “By combining progressive technologies with an aesthetic that draws from the past, Emeya takes us into the future, projecting Lotus into a new segment of the automotive landscape.”

Other signature design elements of Emeya share clear lineage from the Lotus Evija hypercar, and have already been seen in Eletre and the Emira sports car. Porosity, unlocked by eight vents, ensures air flows through the car to improve performance, battery cooling and range whilst creating a striking exterior design.

Emeya also boasts a low centre of gravity, which Lotus calls ‘hyperstance’. Positioning the battery between the wheels and close to the ground creates a true sports car look with a ‘cab-forward’ silhouette. The long wheelbase with short overhangs gives the impression that the wheels are at the corners, giving Emeya a more planted, dynamic stance. Bold muscular wheel arches are a Lotus signature that date back to road and race machines of the 1950s and 1960s, a pure design feature that emphasise Emeya’s performance heritage.

LED by light

The Lotus Emeya hyper-GT features a unique daytime running light (DRL) design. The road presence of the car is significantly enhanced by this ultra-slim and sharp DRL layout. The headlamps stay almost hidden in the aperture beneath the DRLs, delivering a very clean front-end execution.

Emeya also boasts industry leading taillight technology and design, featuring the thinnest RGB dynamic LED rear light bar ever seen on any production car.

Bold and dynamic Interior

In the interior, a single blade of light runs round the cabin, creating a cocoon of progressive luxury for all occupants. The ultra-thin winglets which flow into the centre of the dashboard are a subtle nod to founder Colin Chapman’s famous passion for reducing weight everywhere, while also highlighting the design team's attention to contemporary craftsmanship.

All elements of the interior are designed and ergonomically developed with the same philosophy of lightness through form and materiality. Blending progressive performance and technical artistry, Emeya’s interior makes extensive use of durable repurposed fibres and advanced luxury materials.

Knurled metal on all interior touchpoints offers luxurious tactility, further enhancing the sense of refinement. Exposed carbon fibre elements bring the focus back to the brand's illustrious racing heritage, gently reminding occupants that Emeya is a performance car ‘For The Drivers’.

The creation process behind Emeya has made use of analogue and digital tools. The car was crafted physically using traditional methods, then refined digitally. A parallel process involved constant development of clay models, digitalisation, rework, refinement and review in physical and virtual environments, accelerating the speed and precision to which Lotus could bring Emeya to market.

The world-class design team is led by Ben Payne, Vice-President of Design at Lotus Group. Ben brings an extensive knowledge of automotive design and brand, having held influential roles at several premium car companies and creative agencies.

The global premiere of Emeya took place in the heart of New York City, USA, in September 2023 as part of Studio Emeya, a three-day immersive brand experience showcasing the past, present and future of Lotus.

Further information on Emeya will be released during Q4. Details on market availability and pricing will be announced at a future date.

Lotus has opened the doors of a new flagship store in Paris, France. Located in the famous ‘Golden Triangle’ area of the world's fashion capital, it is in the perfect city centre location amongst other luxury and haute couture brand boutiques.

Following on from high-profile openings in London, Munich and Oslo, the new store in Paris brings together Lotus’ long-standing commitment to technology, performance and heritage by providing customers with an exclusive and immersive entry into the brand.

Lotus Paris is located at 33 Rue François 1er, close to the Champs-Élysées in the 8th arrondissement. It offers three floors dedicated to the brand's past, present and future. The ground floor serves as a street-level walk-in showcase and launch venue for the next-generation vehicle line-up – the Eletre hyper-SUV, Emira sports car, Evija hypercar and Emeya hyper-GT. Above, the first floor is dedicated to the brand's iconic heritage; conceived as an open-plan exhibition space and gallery, it will regularly display classic road and race cars from Lotus’ 75-year history.

Finally, the basement tells the story of the brand's ambition and its plans for the future. It also includes a VIP lounge and Virtual Reality configurator to help customers discover and personalise their own vehicles, with Lotus product experts on hand to support them.

To celebrate its opening, which takes place during Paris Fashion Week 2023, Lotus Paris will host the European premiere of Emeya. It is the company’s first four-door hyper-GT, unveiled earlier this month in New York.

Niels de Gruijter, Executive Director, Lotus Cars Europe, said: “This flagship store in Paris is a huge milestone and further proof of our ongoing commitment to transform Lotus into a world-class provider of all-electric, intelligent, luxury performance products.”

Lotus has started customer deliveries of Eletre hyper-SUV in Europe and has this month expanded its business across the continent, launching new commercial operations in Denmark, Austria and Luxembourg. With the addition of these three new countries, Lotus is now represented in 12 markets across Europe. Those are UK/Ireland, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.

Niels added: “Lotus has strengthened its European footprint and will continue to do so. The recent opening of flagship stores in London, Munich, Oslo and now Paris – plus our three new markets – is playing a key role in building both the Lotus brand and long-lasting relationships with our customers.”

For the opening of the store in Paris – also known as the City of Light for its pioneering use of public lighting in the 19th century – Lotus and digital artist Ksawery Kirklewski have united their talents and passions for retro-futurism to craft an immersive illuminated experience. Their collaboration has delivered an LED techno-chromatic spectacular around an Eletre hyper-SUV with the brand centre.

From Thursday 28 September Lotus Paris will be open to the public who can admire the new Lotus Emeya. It’s a luxury performance car which is setting a new benchmark for how a Lotus drives and feels by combining the company’s 75-year expertise in engineering and design, with the latest advanced innovations – bringing drivers an electric car that is exciting to drive and performs exceptionally.

Lotus brand stores form a key pillar in its global customer experience strategy, focused on building a direct relationship and creating unique, personalised experiences for customers. Lotus plans to launch further stores worldwide in key markets including Europe, Asia and the USA.

Lotus has today announced a unique collaboration with Onoto, the distinguished handcrafted, British luxury fountain pen brand, in celebration of the 75-year heritage of Lotus.  In 2023, Lotus reflects on 75 years of innovation and success, which have unquestionably helped shape the motoring and motorsport landscapes of today and have created some of the world’s most renowned and loved cars.

Both companies are dedicated to the highest levels of British craftsmanship and are thrilled to unite in this partnership. A milestone occasion, it provides an opportunity for Lotus to showcase its unwavering commitment to industry-leading excellence.

This exclusive collaboration between Lotus and Onoto has resulted in the creation of an iconic limited-edition pen, with a RRP of €3,785. With Aluminium being the principal material of choice for Lotus Cars, from the very first Lotus MK1 in 1948, the exquisite writing instrument is crafted using premium quality recycled aluminium sourced from historic Lotus Formula One cars. The aluminium has been sourced from significant car designs throughout the 75 years of Lotus, in particular the Type 72 which was one of its most successful and iconic Formula One cars, adding a touch of British heritage to the design.

The renowned "ACBC" personal monogram – the initials of Lotus Cars founder Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman (CBE), known to all as Colin Chapman – is showcased on the finial of the pen, enhancing its elegance. In honour of the remarkable history of Lotus, this writing tool is the perfect example of two exceptional brands coming together to create something truly unique and timeless.

Founded by Thomas De La Rue in 1905, Onoto produces exquisite writing instruments that combine traditional techniques with modern materials and innovative technologies. Over the course of the past century, Onoto has established itself as a symbol of excellence in British pen manufacturing and artistry. Each Onoto pen is hand-made by a small team of highly skilled jewellers and pen-masters. Esteemed figures, such as Winston Churchill, Florence Nightingale, and the respected Japanese writer Natsume Soseki, were counted among the brand's clientele.

Vice President of Group Lotus and Global Head of Lotus Life, Yingjia Yao says: "We are thrilled to announce our collaboration with Onoto, a brand that shares our commitment to exceptional quality and innovative design. Their pens are a true testament to British craftsmanship, with remarkable attention to detail and visually appealing designs. As we embark on a new journey with Onoto, we're excited to work with our design team to shape a more sustainable world. We're thrilled to offer this collaboration to our valued customers and committed to advancing innovation for a brighter future."

Price information:

RRP €3,785

https://onoto.com/product/lotus-cars-75th-anniversary-pen

Lotus today has announced Victoria Tomlinson has joined the business as Executive Director of PR and Communications.

In her new role, Victoria will oversee global communications for Lotus Group, including its high-performance sports car business, Lotus Cars, and its all-electric, luxury vehicle unit, Lotus Technology.

Victoria will lead the global PR and communications strategy across the organisation’s key markets including UK, Europe, USA, Asia and MENA. She will also be responsible for scaling the global team and overseeing all product, corporate, consumer and employee communications.

By 2028, Lotus plans to grow the business into a global luxury performance brand, with the ambition to sell 150,000 electric vehicles annually. Victoria will play an integral role in driving forward the overall growth of the Lotus brand and narrative, reaching new audiences worldwide.

Victoria brings a wealth of experience building and amplifying communications plans globally to multiple audiences such as investors, consumers, businesses and government affairs for automotive and technology scale-ups. Most recently, she served as Senior Vice President of Brand, Communications and Government Affairs at Arrival. Victoria led the company’s PR and IR communications strategy for its public listing in March 2021, which at the time was the UK’s largest ever IPO with a $8 billion float on Nasdaq. She has also held leadership roles at Roborace and Mind Candy.

Mike Johnstone, Chief Commercial Officer at Lotus Group, said: “The next five years are critical for the business, as we deliver on our promise to become a global luxury performance brand. We will begin launching new products and solutions worldwide, and Victoria brings key experience in this area and will play a crucial role in telling our story to new audiences.”

Commenting on her new role, Victoria said: “Lotus has ambitious plans to transform its entire product offering and scale globally in the next five years, and I can’t think of a more exciting time to join the business. It’s a real privilege to support and shape the communication of Lotus’ extensive heritage and its ambitious future plans.”

In 2018, Lotus announced its Vision80 strategy and plans to transform the brand from a heritage automotive company to an all-electric, intelligent, luxury mobility provider in the next ten years.

The company launched its first electric hyper-SUV Eletre last year, with customer deliveries taking place in China at the end of March 2023 and UK and Europe imminently. Lotus recently launched Emeya, its next generation electric hyper-GT, in early September 2023.

Lotus continues to see a huge demand for its products, with an orderbook of over 17,000 vehicles for its Emira sports car and Eletre hyper-SUV. Lotus has ramped up production this year, having had a record-breaking first half of 2023, with an 381% increase from FY22. It expects the full year to surpass all previous years.

Lotus today has unveiled Emeya, the company’s first four-door hyper-GT, in New York City. “Bringing together our rich heritage with intelligent performance and the latest cutting-edge technologies, we’re pushing the boundaries for how a luxury electric vehicle should look and handle– making it truly for the drivers,” said Feng Qingfeng, CEO, Lotus Group.

Emeya is setting a new benchmark for how a Lotus drives and feels by combining the company’s 75-year expertise in engineering and design, with the latest advanced innovations – bringing drivers an electric car that is exciting to drive and performs exceptionally.

This includes advanced and active aerodynamic features such as the pioneering active front grille, rear diffuser and rear spoiler. All this, combined with a low centre of gravity that Lotus calls ‘hyperstance’, enhances stability when driving, and sets a new standard in the GT segment for ride and handling excellence.

Emeya has an electronically controlled air suspension system. Its advanced onboard sensors feel the road 1,000 times a second and automatically adjust the vehicle to ensure the smoothest ride.

The top specification model for Emeya features Lotus’ high-power dual motor set-up that delivers a top speed of more than 155mph (250km/h) and can accelerate from 0-62mph (0-100km/h) in under 2.8 seconds, making it one of the fastest electric GTs in the world.

To provide customers with confidence wherever they’re travelling, the performance of Emeya is complemented by Lotus’ market-leading charging capabilities. It can add 93 miles (150km) of range with approximately five minutes of charge using a 350kW DC fast charger, as well as boost range up to 80% within 18 minutes.

Emeya has been consciously designed with advanced sustainable materials that are also sustainably sourced, to reduce its carbon footprint. This includes a new luxury thread made from repurposed fibres from the fashion industry – as well as PVD aluminium, Alcantara, Nappa leather, and Ultrafabrics PU.

Ensuring that every occupant can enjoy an unrivalled music experience, the Emeya will offer a truly immersive audio system developed with KEF. Emeya’s speaker system will elevate music listening to new levels. It features KEF’s award-winning Uni-Q® speaker design and Uni-Core™ space-saving subwoofer enclosure, as well as Dolby Atmos-enabled 3D surround sound – first seen in a Lotus on the Eletre Hyper-SUV.

“This is a Lotus like you have never seen before. We’ve built on everything Lotus has achieved so far to create a luxury performance car for the drivers, designed to inspire confidence, exhilarate with raw emotion and pure joy – connecting them to the road,” said Ben Payne, Vice-President of Design, Lotus Group.

Emeya brings together emotion and logic, power, and precision, and connects the strength of Lotus sports car DNA with four-door luxury and comfort. The name Emeya was chosen to embody the ambition and commitment which Lotus has for this new vehicle.

Emeya joins as a flagship model in Lotus’ line-up of luxury lifestyle electric vehicles, part of the company’s vision to become a global performance brand by 2028. Production is expected to begin in 2024.

The global premiere of the car took place in the heart of New York City, USA, as part of a three-day immersive brand experience showcasing the past, present and future of Lotus at Studio Emeya.

The activation took over four storeys of a parking lot in Manhattan, inviting attendees on Lotus’ journey and showcasing its rich heritage and experience. The event gave guests an exclusive look at how Emeya was created, and the emotion evoked by driving, before it culminated with an immersive reveal of the car and a rooftop party that saw DJ and radio presenter Benji B entertain crowds as they got up close and personal with Emeya.

Studio Emeya will be open for one day only to the public. To experience the event themselves on Saturday 9 September by registering at: https://StudioEmeya.eventbrite.com

Further information on Emeya will be released in Q4. Details on market availability and pricing will be announced at a future date.

The Lotus Eletre hyper-SUV has made its public debut in North America at Monterey Car Week, taking centre stage at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering.

Visitors were thrilled to see the highly anticipated Eletre in Blossom Grey on the Lotus stand, commenting on the spaciousness and the incredible number of features included. The retail team received significant interest, kick-starting the push for customer deposits in advance of the Eletre launching in the USA market in 2024.

The first of a new breed of pure electric performance SUVs, the Eletre takes the core principles from 75 years of sports car design and engineering. It evolves the brand as a desirable lifestyle vehicle that is practical and spacious, while packed with the latest digital technology to make their driving life safer and more convenient. Eletre takes Lotus’ DNA of creating vehicles that people love to drive, and effortlessly combines it with the latest cutting-edge technology to create a vehicle that is fun to drive, as well as being comfortable enough for long-range road trips and city driving alike.

The Eletre is priced from £89,500 in the UK and €95,990 in Europe. The most premium versions are the Eletre S and Eletre R. The Eletre S is focused on customers seeking luxury. The enhanced specification over the base model includes additional features such as soft door close, privacy glass, active rear spoiler, configurable ambient lighting, illuminated side sills, air quality system, 2,160-watt 23-speaker KEF Reference Audio system, and 22-inch 10-spoke forged wheels in grey with a diamond-turned finish.

The flagship Eletre R is all about performance, and benefits from the Lotus Dynamic Handling Pack (comprising Intelligent Active Roll Control and Active Rear Steering), Carbon Pack, Pirelli P Zero performance tyres, and a gloss black finish for the wheels. There’s also a sixth Drive Mode: Track.

Lotus also celebrated its 75th anniversary year with the world debut of Type 66 at both The Quail and Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Bringing history back to life, the Type 66 is a stunning, track-only car with a limited production run of just 10 units. It reimagines a ‘lost Lotus’ drawing board programme from the brand’s world-renowned motorsport heritage, combining it with today’s state-of-the-art racing technology and components.

F1 legend Emerson Fittipaldi would have likely raced the car in the 1970s had it gone to production. He was at The Quail on Friday to help with the unveiling. “It’s been an honour to be a part of this reveal and share the Type 66 with the public,” he said. “I’m so happy to have had this opportunity.”

The final treat for Lotus’ fans was the reveal of Jenson Button’s bespoke Evjia electric hypercar.  His unique spec was chosen in consultation with the Lotus Design team and the special colour scheme pays tribute to his 2009 F1 World Championship-winning Brawn GP race car – Arctic White with Verve Yellow and Carbon Black accents.

In an F1 career spanning seasons 2006-2012, Button had 15 race victories. The aluminium strip that runs vertically through the driver’s seat centre has been laser-etched with the dates and locations of each of those wins – just one example of the attention to detail that Lotus can offer to Evija customers.

Lotus has brought history back to life with the world premiere of the Type 66 – and confirmed the stunning track-only car will go into production.

This unique project was unveiled at ‘The Quail, A Motorsport Gathering’ as part of Monterey Car Week in California, USA. Truly exotic in its design execution, the Type 66 is a new, ultra-exclusive low-volume car from Lotus. It brings to life a ‘lost Lotus’ drawing board programme from the brand’s world-renowned motorsport heritage, combining it with today’s state-of-the-art racing technology and components.

The Type 66 has been launched in Lotus’ 75th anniversary year and is testament to the brand's desire to reimagine the best elements of its heritage, updating them in the most exhilarating way possible.

With his eyes on the high-profile and commercially lucrative Can-Am Series, Lotus founder Colin Chapman tasked Team Lotus draughtsman Geoff Ferris to launch the Type 66 project to evaluate how Lotus design principles could be applied to this exciting category. Chapman’s primary focus on Formula 1 meant the innovative project never went beyond technical drawings and scale models. In a fitting tribute to the brand’s illustrious racing pedigree and heritage, Lotus has proudly fulfilled the original vision 53 years after the designer first put pen to paper.

Only 10 examples of this ‘rediscovered and reimagined’ Lotus V8 will be built. It’s a total selected to commemorate the number of races the Type 66 would have competed in during the 1970 season.

The car made its public debut in a heritage-inspired livery – reflecting the red, white and gold colours Lotus raced in during the early Seventies – and which could have adorned the Type 66, alongside the all-conquering Lotus Type 72 F1 car.

The Type 66 is one of the most exclusive projects Lotus has ever undertaken and each example will cost in excess of £1million.

Simon Lane, Executive Director, Lotus Advanced Performance, said: “The Type 66 perfectly blends the past and present. It takes drivers back in time, to the iconic design, sound and pure theatre of motorsport more than 50 years ago, with added 21st century performance and safety. This is a truly unique project and in our 75th anniversary year it’s the perfect gift from Lotus, to fans worldwide and to a handful of customers.”

He continued: “While the visual expression is strikingly similar to what could have been – including the period-correct white, red and gold graphics – the technology and mechanical underpinnings of the Lotus Type 66 represent the very best in today’s advanced racing performance.”

Crucial to the development of the Type 66 programme has been Clive Chapman, Managing Director of Classic Team Lotus and son of Colin Chapman. It was documents held by Clive which allowed the Lotus Design team to bring the car to life.

He commented: “The car would have shared many innovative features with our most successful F1 chassis, the Lotus Type 72, which was developed during the same era. These include side-mounted radiators which helped reduce front drag, increase front downforce and channel airflow through and over the car. The rear of the car incorporates a distinctive tail section, resembling the Le Mans endurance cars of the period. These features would have boosted its downforce considerably, compared to rivals, aiding high-speed stability and ultimately its lap times. It would have been spectacular, as is the actual Type 66 we see today.”

Clive said it’s highly likely that Lotus F1 legend Emerson Fittipaldi would have driven the Type 66 if it had been built. The Brazilian was guest of honour on the Lotus stand at The Quail and helped to unveil the car.

The Lotus Type 66 has benefitted from more than half a century of technical progress since it was imagined to optimise its design, engineering and manufacture. Using state-of-the-art computer software, the team led by Russell Carr, Design Director, Lotus, digitised a series of 1/4 and 1/10th scale drawings supplied by Clive Chapman and created 3D renders to provide an entirely new perspective of the vehicle. The original sketches were true to Colin Chapman’s early designs, featuring a cockpit enclosure that would reduce drag and improve airflow to the rear wing.

In order to conform to modern safety standards and to ensure 21st century driver confidence, the original designs were delicately reinterpreted. New features to the vehicle include a modernised driver compartment, inboard fuel cell, sequential transmission and anti-stall system. Everything is contained in a full carbon fibre bodyshell.

The front wing was designed to channel air from the front of the car, through and underneath the rear wings, generating more downforce than the vehicle’s total weight at full speed. This sense of porosity, where air travels through a vehicle, rather than around it, remains a signature element of Lotus vehicle design today and is seen on the Emira sports car, Eletre SUV and Evija hypercar.

Russell said: “We are incredibly proud to have completed such a unique project, and one that Colin Chapman was personally involved in. There is a real delicacy in remastering the past. This is not a re-edition or a restomod, but a completely new breed of Lotus – a commitment that our past glories will continue to be reflected in our future.”

Optimised aerodynamics has been part of the Lotus DNA for all of its 75 years, and the Type 66 is no exception. More than 1,000 hours of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) work has gone into the programme, resulting in downforce in excess of 800kg at 150mph. That’s far more than the original underbody design would have been able to manage, enhancing both driver safety and vehicle performance for quicker lap times.

Advanced ‘driver-in-the-loop’ technology has been used to test how the vehicle would perform on race tracks around the globe, such as Laguna Seca, Silverstone, Fuji and Spa. Thanks to modern-day engineering and ingenuity, the Type 66 now matches the dynamic performance and lap times of a modern GT3 race car. On some circuits, such as Laguna Seca, simulator work suggests it could actually be quicker.

At the heart of the Type 66 is a period-representative V8 push-rod engine. It’s mid-mounted for optimised handling, tuned by Lotus to produce more than 830bhp at 8,800rpm*. Bespoke modern-day components include an aluminium forged crank, rod and pistons, which generate torque of more than 746 Nm at 7,400rpm*. The iconic Can-Am-inspired air intake ‘trumpets’ take centre stage at the top of the engine. These not only smooth out the air intake to create laminar flow, but also greatly improve the volumetric efficiency, allowing for greater combustion and more power.

The chassis is also period-representative, with extruded aluminium sections, bonded joints and aluminium honeycomb panels adding to its authenticity. To ensure drivers can unlock maximum performance when on track, the Type 66 features modern comforts such as an EPASS motorsport power steering column, a sequential racing gearbox with reverse, a race ABS braking system, an anti-stall multi-plate clutch and a fixed rollover bar.

Following the car’s world debut at The Quail, the Type 66 will be displayed on the Concept Lawn at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance on Sunday 20 August.

* Target performance data

F1 World Champion Jenson Button will debut his bespoke Lotus Evija at ‘The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering’ on Friday 18 August.

Like all examples of the Evija, Button’s car is completely bespoke and based on the spec which he chose in consultation with the Lotus Design team. The unique colour scheme pays tribute to his 2009 F1 World Championship-winning Brawn GP race car – Arctic White, with Verve Yellow and Carbon Black as accents. The number 22 is prominently displayed on the deployable door mirror housing, a nod to Jenson’s race number during that amazing season. It is also replicated on the interior door lining.

As an example of the attention to detail Lotus can offer Evija customers, the aluminium strip which runs vertically through the seat centre has been laser-etched with the date and location of every one of Jenson’s 15 F1 race wins. Spanning the seasons 2006-2012, it includes the six victories that helped him win the 2009 Championship.

Button, who will be on the Lotus stand at The Quail, commented: “The car looks sensational and in a colour scheme which means so much to me. The Lotus team has done an amazing job to deliver the design proposal we dreamed up together – they’ve created a real head-turner.”

Simon Lane, Director, Lotus Advanced Performance, added: “I’m delighted to be with Jenson in California as he reveals his Lotus Evija to the world for the first time. It’s a fantastic moment for the whole team, which has worked so hard to bring Jenson’s vision to life.”

The cabin of Jenson’s car is dominated by the white and black perforated leather seats, with an ebony Alcantara headliner and steering wheel. Lime Yellow contrast stitching is another bespoke feature and adds further eye-catching detail. The same colour has been used to enhance the look of the pedals, centre console rotary, start/stop button, steering wheel-mounted mode switch and air vent surrounds.

The brake calipers are Verve Yellow, housed in gloss black alloy wheels with magnesium matt black highlights. The centre-locking wheel nut is another motorsport-inspired feature of the Evija and is finished in anodised silver.

Personalisation of the Lotus Evija is a significant part of the customer experience, though all versions of the pure electric hypercar are identical in terms of powertrain and performance. At The Quail, the car’s power output was revealed as 1,500 kW / 2,039 PS – more than the 2,000 PS announced when the Evija was unveiled, and confirming it as the most powerful series production road car ever.

Visitors to The Quail will also be able to witness the unveiling of a thrilling all-new performance car that takes inspiration from Lotus’ iconic racing heritage, and see the US debut of the Lotus Eletre Hyper-SUV.

Lotus today has announced the appointment of Ben Payne as Vice-President of Design at Lotus Group.

Ben most recently led the team responsible for the design development of the Eletre hyper-SUV, the company’s first vehicle beyond traditional sports cars, marking a key milestone for the business on its journey to become a global performance brand by 2028.

In his newly appointed role, Ben will oversee all design for the Lotus brand, working closely with group leadership and collaborate with the commercial team to drive forward the growth of Lotus. This will ensure design consistency, synergies and creative leadership across the whole brand.

Ben succeeds Peter Horbury, who passed away in June 2023.

Commenting on his new role, Ben Payne said: “Having worked extremely closely with Peter over the past five years, it was a privilege to call him a friend and great mentor in shaping global creative leadership and influencing my own design philosophy. It’s an honour to be taking on this new role, and I am excited to further elevate the brand globally.”

Feng Qingfeng, CEO at Lotus Group, said: “Lotus is renowned for its world-class design, and Ben has played a key role in ensuring our new lifestyle electric vehicles stay true to the heritage of the Lotus brand. We have ambitious plans to scale rapidly by 2028, and I look forward to working with Ben as we deliver new vehicles and expand into new markets.”

Ben brings an extensive knowledge of automotive design and brand, having held influential roles at Aston Martin and Bugatti, and has diverse consultancy experience with The Makkina.

In 2018, Lotus announced its Vision80 strategy and plans to transform the brand from a heritage automotive company to an all-electric, intelligent, luxury mobility provider by 2028 – when the business turns 80.  The company has seen a huge demand for its products, with an orderbook of over 17,000 vehicles for its Emira sports car and Eletre hyper-SUV. Lotus has ramped up production this year, already delivering Emiras to customers, and expects to deliver the Eletre to customers in the UK and Europe later this summer. The business had a record first half of the year for production and expects the full year to surpass previous sale years.

Lotus today has announced the business had a record-breaking first half of 2023.

Key achievements for the first six months to 30 June 2023 include:

• Order book grew to approximately 17,000 vehicles worldwide for the Eletre, Lotus’ first electric lifestyle hyper-SUV, and Emira, a mid-engine sports car.  
• Produced over 2,200 Emiras in its UK sportscar manufacturing facility, which is a 381 percent increase from FY22. The order book for Emira is full for the next two years. 
• Production of Lotus’ lifestyle hyper-SUV, Eletre, ramped up this year in its first all-electric vehicle factory. Customer deliveries began in China at the end of March, and Lotus expects to deliver to UK and European customers later this summer.  
• Lotus expanded its global retail network to 193 stores, opening 24 new outlets over the first half of 2023.  
• Expanded into South Korea, one of the largest luxury markets in the world, through a partnership to sell Lotus vehicles with the leading regional automotive retailer, Kolon Mobility Group. 
• Nine awards won globally including ‘SUV of the Year’ for Eletre at GQ Car Awards and ‘Best Performance Car’ for Emira at UK Car of the Year Awards.  
• Mike Johnstone joined the business as Chief Commercial Officer, bringing over 25 years of international experience in leading and growing automotive brands. He will be responsible for the Lotus’s global business and product strategy, as well as international expansion.

Feng Qingfeng, CEO of Lotus Group said: “We set an ambitious goal in 2018, with the launch of our Vision80 strategy to transform the business from a traditional automotive brand to become an all-electric, luxury, mobility provider in ten years. We have spent the last few years laying the foundations for success and today’s announcement demonstrates that Lotus is no longer the same business that it has been in previous years. We are firmly on track to becoming a global performance brand by 2028.”

Lotus plans to further ramp up production and sales for the second half of the year and expects the full year to surpass all previous years.

Lotus has announced Conor Horne has joined the business as Commercial Director of UK and Ireland.

In his new role, Conor will work closely with Lotus’ leadership team to further develop the company’s business development strategy, as well as identifying new opportunities for growth in the UK and Ireland.

By 2028, Lotus has ambitions to sell 150,000 vehicles annually, as part of its vision to become a global luxury performance brand. The UK and Ireland are both key European markets for the business and Conor will play an integral role in growing the brand and reaching new customers in these regions.

Prior to joining Lotus, Conor was at Volvo, where he was responsible for launching and growing the organisation’s direct-to-consumer sales offering, as well managing Volvo’s recent move to agency sales in the UK. Conor brings a wealth of automotive experience with a focus on leading and operating traditional wholesale business models, in addition to direct-to-consumer sales.

The company recently opened Lotus London, its first European global brand centre in Mayfair, London. This is part of Lotus’ global customer experience strategy, focused on building a direct relationship and creating unique, personalised experiences for consumers. The business plans on growing its retail distribution network to 105 stores in Europe by 2025. Conor will lead the rollout of further stores in the UK and Ireland.

Mike Johnstone, Chief Commercial Officer at Lotus Group, said: “As Lotus continues to scale globally, Conor brings strong experience in business development, which will help us scale the brand and grow our customer base in the UK and Ireland.”

Commenting on his new role, Conor said: “Lotus has a world-class team, industry-leading technologies and a strong heritage, which combined has enormous potential. I look forward to building our presence and unlocking new growth opportunities in the UK and Ireland, as the company delivers its vision to become a global luxury performance brand.”

Lotus announced its Vision80 strategy in 2018 with plans to transform the brand into an all-electric intelligent, luxury mobility provider by 2028 – when the business celebrates its 80th anniversary. Lotus began delivering on its promise with the debut of the Eletre last year. It has started production for the vehicle and expects to deliver to customers in the UK and Europe later this summer.

Lotus has today opened the doors to its first flagship European global brand centre in Mayfair, London.

Lotus London can be found at 73 Piccadilly, at the heart of luxury, art and culture in the capital city. It brings together Lotus’ long-standing commitment to technology, performance and heritage by providing customers with an exclusive and immersive entry into the Lotus brand.

The store offers a VIP lounge and bespoke digital experience – where customers can personalise their own vehicles – with experts on hand to support them. In addition, the store will act as a gallery for the brand, regularly displaying classic car designs from its 75-year rich history, from F1 to icons of the silver screen.

Lotus London will serve as a showcase and launch venue for the latest vehicles and products, including the next-generation vehicle line-up; the Eletre hyper-SUV, Emira sports car and Evija hypercar. Customers will also be able to purchase Lotus merchandise in-store, as well as other co-branded products. For example, Lotus and KEF recently announced the new LS60 Wireless floor speakers, and these are now available to purchase at Lotus London.

This is the brand’s first digitally driven flagship showroom in Europe, a 'Hyper Space' which embodies Lotus’ vision to become a global performance brand. In 2018 Lotus revealed Vision80 and its plans to transform the brand from a heritage automotive company to an all-electric, intelligent, luxury mobility provider by 2028 – when the business turns 80.

Brand centres form a key pillar in the business’s global customer experience strategy, focused on building a direct relationship and creating unique, personalised experiences for consumers. Lotus plans to launch further stores worldwide in key markets including Europe, Asia and the US.

Mike Johnstone, Chief Commercial Officer at Lotus Group, said: “The opening of our new store demonstrates our commitment to transform Lotus to a global luxury performance brand. We have seen a huge demand for our products and have ambitious plans to scale rapidly by 2028. Brand centres around the world will play a key role in building both the Lotus brand and long-lasting relationships with our consumers.”

Lotus began delivering its Vision80 promise with the world premiere of the Eletre last year. It has started production for the vehicle and expects to deliver to customers in the UK and Europe later this summer.

The second-generation Hope-Lotus track bike, unveiled today, has been meticulously designed and optimised to deliver improved track performance at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Lotus Engineering has collaborated with the Great Britain Cycling Team (GBCT), Hope Technology and Renishaw to evolve the Tokyo 2020 track bike which contributed to the track team winning seven Olympic medals and topping the event medal table.

Lotus and GBCT have developed the cockpit of the bike, evolving the unique front fork and handlebar design to allow for greater aerodynamic efficiency. This is coupled with the Hope HBT Paris frame which includes refinements to the headstock and seat stays. Renishaw has provided support in design and production of wind tunnel models and other crucial components on the final bike.

GBCT has been testing the bike rigorously on track and in a wind tunnel, working alongside the Lotus team to optimise the forks and handlebars ahead of its competitive track debut next month at the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland.

Richard Hill, Chief Aerodynamicist at Lotus, was responsible for the design of the Lotus 108 Olympic track bike and 110 Tour De France bike in the nineties and has continued to play a pivotal role in both the Tokyo Olympic track bike and now, the 2024 Hope-Lotus Olympic track bike.

Lotus Engineering has played to its strengths of optimised aerodynamics, advanced materials, lightweighting and engineering innovation to help guide the bike’s cockpit development. It has applied learnings made over 75 years in vehicle dynamics to improve front-end feel and stiffness to enhance rider confidence. Additional evolution of the components creates the sensation that the bike is carving through air, a signature element of the aerodynamic design found in the new Lotus vehicle line-up.

The unique patented, wide element fork design, introduced at the Tokyo Olympic Games, continues to reduce drag and break the air flow in front of the rider. Taking inspiration from fighter jet design, the fork has a new serrated edge that allows for smoother airflow around the rider. Customisable handlebars help riders to achieve a more efficient aero position for longer races, whilst an enhanced integration with the fork further reduces drag.

To guarantee lightness, the composite fork is crafted from the same high-grade carbon fibre and single-cure manufacturing process as the Lotus Evija hypercar. A combination of carbon fibre and 3D-printed metals is used to optimise aerodynamics, ergonomics, structural integrity and lightweighting.

More than 150 hours of wind tunnel testing and advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation has helped to create significant aerodynamic gains. This testing was instrumental in optimising the airflow around the legs of the rider to reduce drag.

Mark Stringer, Commercial Director, Lotus Engineering said:

“Lotus is proud to have again played its part in helping British Cycling push the boundaries of sporting performance in the quest for Olympic medals. It’s the perfect demonstration of our ability to transfer the skills and knowledge we’ve gained through 75 years of automotive development to bring a new perspective to other industries. Through the deployment of our expertise, innovation, tools, techniques and processes developed to engineer high-performance Lotus cars, we’ve been able to deliver efficiencies to give British track riders the best possible opportunity for success.”

Lotus has a successful history in cycling through its Lotus Engineering division. Innovations include the early Lotus sports bikes used by cycling legend Chris Boardman in the nineties, the iconic Lotus type 108 in the noughties, through to the Hope-Lotus collaborations.

Stephen Park CBE, Performance Director for the Great Britain Cycling Team, said:

“Our relationship with Lotus Engineering, Hope Technology and Renishaw is going from strength to strength. Their combined high quality manufacturing standards, renowned lightweight design, aerodynamic efficiency and their keen eye for finer details help us to unlock valuable marginal gains, which make all the difference come race day. This is the most advanced bike that has ever been ridden by British athletes.”  

Lotus has held its first ever UK test drives for its hyper-SUV – the Lotus Eletre – at the Goodwood Motor Circuit yesterday.

Potential customers were able to experience the hyper-SUV’s exceptional performance and immersive digital cockpit, as part of a new electric vehicle experience staged in conjunction with the Festival of Speed.

Initial feedback on the Eletre was overwhelmingly positive, with drivers praising the car’s seamless and swift acceleration, precise handling and dynamic capabilities. Their comments mirror those of global motoring media, who published their first reviews of the luxury SUV earlier this week.

Mr. M, who has an Eletre R on order commented: “The luxury interior is astounding; the whole cabin is incredible. The driving experience is so light and responsive with brilliant visibility, it really clings to the road. Instant acceleration, super luxury, enjoyment personified. I can’t wait for my Eletre R to arrive.”

Ms. T said, “Driving the Eletre was top of my list today, I visited one of the Eletre presentations at the end of last year, but I have to say driving it has really made up my mind. Well done Lotus!”

Mr. A commented, “I am blown-away by the car! The sound system is mind-blowing and the drive experience was excellent!”

Mr. & Ms. said, “We absolutely loved the Eletre and we're delighted we've had the chance to drive it today. The car was more than we could have hoped for. It has that Lotus spirit and it’s exciting to drive.”

The Lotus Eletre is the first of a new breed of pure electric performance SUVs. It takes the core principles and Lotus DNA from 75 years of sports car design and engineering, evolving them into a desirable lifestyle vehicle.

It is aimed at a new generation of Lotus customers; those who value the world-class dynamic performance and striking design which have always been part of the Lotus experience, and who also need a practical, versatile and spacious family-focused vehicle – one that is packed with the latest digital technology to make their driving life safer and more convenient.

The Eletre is a true Lotus. It takes the heart and soul of the latest Lotus sports car, the Emira, and the revolutionary aerodynamics of the all-electric Evija hypercar and reinterprets them as a hyper-SUV. It delivers class-leading ride and handling, steering and aero performance – areas of automotive design and engineering where Lotus has both pioneered and dominated throughout its 75-year history in road and race cars. It is also the epitome of beautiful design, efficient and elegant engineering solutions, advanced materials, innovation and ingenuity.

First customer deliveries of the hyper-SUV are expected in the coming months.  Sign up now to experience the critically acclaimed Lotus Eletre via: https://www.lotuscars.com/en-GB/eletre/newsletter-sign-up

Captivating driving enthusiasts worldwide since its debut two years ago, the critically acclaimed and award-winning Lotus Emira V6 has secured its rightful place as the most accomplished Lotus sports car ever made. With striking design, astonishing performance and benchmark ride and handling, its supercharged 3.5-litre powerplant matched to a choice of six-speed manual and automatic transmissions delivers a driving experience that could only be from Lotus.

Now, the appeal of this mid-engined two-seater is further enhanced by the addition of a four-cylinder engine which features state-of-the-art technologies to deliver incredible performance and remarkable efficiency. Supplied by technical partner Mercedes-AMG, the all-aluminium, turbocharged 2.0-litre unit is based on the world’s most powerful four-cylinder in series production.

Badged for launch as the Emira First Edition, it has been further developed by Lotus with new intake and exhaust systems, plus a bespoke calibration matched to new transmission shift-mapping. Developing 360bhp and 430Nm, this makes it a perfect match to the Emira’s lightweight, strong, stiff, bonded and extruded aluminium chassis structure and aligns to the Lotus ethos of delivering higher performance by reducing mass.

It’s also fitting that, as the final mainstream combustion engine Lotus two-seater, the Emira is the most powerful four-cylinder from Lotus in a rich bloodline of iconic models including the Elise, Esprit, Europa, Elan and Elite. And, at 180bhp/litre, it also has the highest specific power output in the Emira range.

Like the renowned 400bhp supercharged V6, the four-cylinder car delivers all the performance and responsiveness that drivers expect – 0-62mph (0-100km/h) in just 4.4 seconds and a 180mph (290km/h) maximum speed – while bringing its own unique character to the Emira range. That character is enhanced by the inherent day-to-day usability and comfort of the smooth and rapid shifting dual-clutch transmission. It also offers the added advantages of lower fuel consumption and a target CO2 emissions figure of 208g/km (WLTP combined).

Mike Johnstone, Group Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer, Lotus, said: “The Emira V6 has already proved incredibly successful, with many thousands of orders received from around the world. Now, with the four-cylinder Emira joining the range, we’re adding a new dimension to the car’s breadth of capability and appeal, offering new levels of efficiency and accessibility while continuing to offer all the performance and agility that our customers expect.”

Gavan Kershaw, Director, Vehicle Attributes and Product Integrity, Lotus, said: “We’ve meticulously tuned the suspension settings for the 2.0-litre Emira to deliver the superb body control that’s a Lotus hallmark without the car ever feeling harsh. We’ve calibrated engine and transmission mapping, in tandem with the Drive Modes, to create a refined and relaxed character in Tour, and with incredible launch performance, superb driveability, even quicker throttle response and kickdown in Sport and Track. We’ve also taken the opportunity to refine how the powertrain is linked to the traction and stability control systems to deliver the high-performance feel and connection that Lotus drivers expect.”

Like the Emira V6, the new 2.0-litre car is built in the Chapman Production Centre (CPC) at Hethel, named in honour of the company’s legendary founder and inspiration. However, it starts life at Lotus Advanced Structures in nearby Norwich, where sub-assembly of the lightweight aluminium chassis structure takes place. Combined, these world-class centres of excellence for sports car manufacturing are part of a £100 million investment by Lotus in its UK facilities. Customers in the UK have the option of collecting their Emira from Hethel and, as part of the experience, tour the CPC assembly halls where their car was made.

Powertrain: powerful, responsive, efficient

Designed solely for high-performance applications, the 1,991cc engine features a cylinder block produced using the advanced chill-casting process: compared to conventional sand-casting methods used in high volume applications, this results in a uniform, fine-grained structure which delivers the high strength and durability needed to withstand the high loads generated. Following motorsport practise, the block is also of closed-deck design for maximum stiffness, and instead of conventional cast iron liners, the cylinder bores use a patented low-friction coating to save weight. For the optimal balance of high strength and low weight, both the steel crankshaft and aluminium pistons are forged.

The cylinder head features four valves per cylinder and a 200bar direct injection system. Intake and exhaust cams feature variable valve timing, while on the exhaust side, the valves can be varied between high and low duration. The piezo injectors deliver fuel into the combustion chamber with very high precision, both in terms of the amount of fuel and the spray pattern, resulting in enhanced combustion with reduced emissions. For maximum power, the piezo injectors are joined by the port fuel injectors, mounted directly on the intake side of the cylinder head to deliver the correct amount of petrol needed at full load.

The turbocharger is a ‘twin-scroll’ design, meaning the turbine housing is split into two separate ducts, matched to corresponding ducts in the exhaust manifold. This minimises exhaust gas pulsation interference, helping to improve the efficient exchange of gases in the cylinders. It also ensures that boost pressure builds up more rapidly, and to further enhance responsiveness, the shaft joining the compressor and turbine wheel runs in ultra-low-friction roller bearings. To manage boost pressure most effectively, the wastegate is electronically controlled.

This combination of advanced technologies, together with intake and exhaust systems developed by Lotus and optimised with a unique in-house calibration, ensure this remarkable engine can deliver an astonishing balance of power, torque and efficiency throughout its full operating range. Generating 430Nm from 3,000-5,500rpm and 360bhp at 6,600rpm before reaching a maximum speed of 7,200rpm, it ensures an authentic Lotus sports car driving experience while also being refined in day-to-day use.

Sending drive to the rear wheels is Mercedes-AMG’s acclaimed eight-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) – a first use of the technology by Lotus and fitted exclusively to the Emira. Compared to the six-speed manual and automatic transmissions offered on the Emira V6, the DCT offers even quicker gearchanges with no torque interruption during shifting, enhancing efficiency and shift comfort. Drivers also have the choice of smooth, effortless changes if they leave the car in Drive, or ultra-fast dynamic changes if they control the transmission themselves using the shift lever in the centre console or steering wheel paddles.

Launch control enables the driver to set the car up for optimum acceleration from a standing start by maximising the available traction from the rear wheels and torque from the powertrain. This feature enables consistent, optimal get-aways – time and time again – allowing the driver to fully exploit the Emira’s exhilarating performance.

Vehicle dynamics: agile, intuitive, rewarding

The Emira’s light, stiff, bonded aluminium Lotus Sports Car Architecture gave the vehicle dynamics engineers the perfect platform from which to develop the car’s ride, handling and steering characteristics, all of which set the class benchmark, as every Lotus sports car should. With a torsional stiffness of 26,300Nm/ degree, the chassis contributes to the immediate, precise responses of every system. The Emira features race-derived, lightweight, forged aluminium double-wishbone suspension all round, which delivers the greatest control of the tyre contact patch throughout the suspension’s full range of travel, contributing to the Emira’s exceptional agility and responsiveness.

The introduction of the four-cylinder engine to the Emira range created the opportunity for Lotus to introduce a new, lightweight cast aluminium rear subframe to optimise the packaging of the powerplant within the chassis structure. It’s in place of the steel assembly used on the Emira V6 and contributes to a total weight saving of 12kg. The subframe also houses the new rear suspension.

The electro-hydraulic steering system delivers the pure, truly connected feel fundamental to Lotus sports car DNA, together with speed-dependent efforts, but without the losses created by an engine-driven pump. The immediacy of response to every input the driver makes is amplified by the seating position being almost in the centre of the 2,575mm wheelbase, thanks to the Emira’s mid-engine configuration.

The Eibach springs and Bilstein high-pressure monotube dampers are meticulously tuned to suit the Emira, and offered with different settings depending on whether the customer chooses the Tour or Sport chassis settings. Tour is optimised for road use, offering softer springs and dampers, while Sport is track-focused with stiffer springs and dampers, together with increased camber and toe angles to maximise grip. The anti-roll bar stiffnesses are also bespoke to Emira, and the component on the front axle is now lighter too.

A choice of specially-developed tyres is available on the four-cylinder Emira, which are asymmetrically sized to suit the exacting requirements of steering and traction – 245/35/R20 on the front axle and 295/30/R20 at the rear. Fitted as standard as part of the Tour chassis (and also available as an option with the Sports chassis), the Goodyear Eagle F1 Supersport tyres deliver high performance with enhanced all-weather capability without any compromise to feedback. Offered exclusively as part of the Sports chassis, the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres are designed for extreme track use without compromising ride comfort. Both tyres have ‘LTS’ markings on the side wall to denote the Lotus-approved specification

The braking system provides stopping power commensurate with the new engine’s output, and features lightweight, two-piece, cross-drilled and slotted discs together with four-piston calipers on the front axle. The calipers can be finished in a choice of four colours at no extra cost.

Complementing the changes to the chassis hardware is a completely new calibration for the Electronic Stability Control system. There’s also an e-Diff function which can apply carefully modulated brake pressure to the rear wheels in order to maximise traction by the transfer of torque to the one with the most grip, which is particularly beneficial when accelerating out of slow corners. It also enhances dynamic performance and control in challenging conditions, such as roads covered in snow, rain or mud.

Exterior design: aerodynamically beautiful

The Emira’s design language is a development of the sculpted surfaces and technical detailing which debuted on the all-electric Evija hypercar, and brings unrivalled supercar desirability to the sports car segment. Strikingly beautiful, timeless and unmistakably Lotus, its perfect proportions and athletic, taught, shrink-wrapped form are the very embodiment of  Lotus sports car DNA.

The front is dominated by the full-LED headlights – each with a double ‘blade’ daytime running light signature – and purposeful, angular bonnet ducts. The latter guide airflow over the car, reducing drag, and reinforce the Emira’s performance potential while making a direct visual link to the Evija.

Sculpted doors feature deployable handles, also cutting drag, while the dramatic form pressed into the outer skin blends seamlessly into the intake ducts integrated into the muscular rear haunches. These feed air, via the water-cooled charge cooler, to the engine’s intake system, and also help to cool the engine itself.

The rear of the car features two distinctive gloss black vents, allowing air to flow out from the wheel arches. Beneath, also finished in gloss black, is the rear diffuser, into which the two exhaust pipes and rear number plate are neatly integrated.

As a result of meticulous development using cutting-edge computational fluid dynamics simulations, and further refinement in the wind tunnel, the Emira doesn’t need any active aerodynamic features, and creates passive downforce that’s perfectly balanced between the front and rear axles at all speeds. The result is enhanced grip and handling characteristics which remain constant, precise and predictable.

The Emira can be specified in a range of 13 colours, each one created to heighten the visual impact of the Emira’s dramatic, purposeful form: Hethel Yellow, Magma Red, Vivid Red, Dark Verdant, Seneca Blue, Atlantis Blue, Meridian Blue, Osmium Silver, Nimbus Grey, Shadow Grey, Zinc Grey, Mist White and Cosmos Black.

The optional Black Pack sees a contemporary gloss black finish applied to the roof, cantrails, mirror pods and the Lotus wordmark on the rear clamshell. The exhaust finishers are satin black. The 20-inch, ultra-lightweight forged wheels feature a diamond-cut finish as standard, with silver or gloss black available as options, completing the distinctive look.

Emira inside: driver-focused and pure

Luxurious, spacious and unmistakably driver-focused, the Emira’s interior is beautifully crafted and effortlessly combines rich materials and the latest technologies to deliver levels of comfort, usability and practicality which set new standards for Lotus sports cars.

Ahead of the flat-bottomed steering wheel is a 12.3-inch TFT instrument cluster, while in the centre of the cockpit is a 10.25-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system, which features integrated navigation* All of the content was designed in-house, making it simple and intuitive to use, while enhancing the driving experience. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity is standard*.

The 10-channel, 560W premium audio system was developed for the Emira in partnership with KEF and features the renowned British brand’s signature Uni-QTM technology, which combines tweeter and mid-range into a single, acoustically-optimised unit. Beautifully finished with a distinctive bespoke speaker fret design, Uni-Q covers the entire mid and high-frequency sound spectrum from a single point in space, delivering a more coherent, hyper-realistic sound experience.

The 12-way power-adjust heated seats offer both incredible support for spirited driving as well as superb comfort on long drives, and are offered in Nappa leather in either black, red, ice grey or tan, or in black Alcantara with a choice of contrast stitching in either yellow, red or ice grey. These same materials are also offered on the steering wheel, as an option, with the top dead centre band and stitching available in yellow, red or ice grey. Black Alcantara is also used for the headliner, further enriching the cabin. Behind the two seats is 208-litres of storage, with the rear luggage compartment offering a further 151 litres.

*Market-specific features

Lotus Emira i4 First Edition UK and European Pricing (from)*

Market	Currency	Pricing from
UK	GBP	81,495
Germany	EUR	95,995
France	EUR	96,815
Italy	EUR	98,435
Belgium	EUR	97,625
Austria	EUR	115,802
Netherlands	EUR	127,030
Luxembourg	EUR	93,368
Switzerland	CHF	103,420
Sweden	SEK	1,145,450
Denmark	DKK	1,771,825

Lotus Emira: Technical Specification

Powertrain and performance:

Engine configuration	1,991cc turbocharged four-cylinder in-line petrol; four valves per  cylinder; variable valve timing; single twin-scroll turbocharger;  200bar piezo direct fuel injection + port fuel injection
Transmission	Eight-speed dual-clutch
Max power ( bhp/ kW)	360/269
Max torque (Nm)	430
Top speed (mph / km/h)	180/290
0-62 mph / 0-100 km/h (secs)	4.4
0-60 mph (secs)	4.3
Fuel consumption (WLTP Combined) (mpg/ L/100km)*	TBC*
CO2 emissions (WLTP Combined) (g/km)*	208*

* Subject to homologation

Chassis:

Front suspension	Double wishbone
Rear suspension	Double wishbone
Springs	Coil
Dampers	High pressure monotube
Steering	Electrohydraulic; rack and pinion
Front brake disc diameter (mm)	370 x 32
Rear brake disc diameter (mm)	350 x 32
Calipers	AP Racing 4-piston with braided hoses
Front tyres	245/35/R20
Rear tyres	295/30/R20

Dimensions:

Length (mm)	4,413
Width including door mirrors (mm)	2,092
Width with mirrors folded (mm)	1,895
Track front / rear (mm)	1,626/1,608
Height (mm)	1,226
Wheelbase (mm)	2,575
Drag Coefficient	0.349
Weight (DIN) (kg)	1,446
Rear luggage compartment capacity (litres)	151
Cabin luggage capacity (litres)	208
Fuel tank capacity (litres)	52.5

Lotus lands at next week’s Goodwood Festival of Speed with its biggest-ever stand at the event, and a huge range of activities that will appeal to the tens of thousands of performance car fans attending. Alternatively follow the action on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn.

For 2023 the Lotus stand is in a new position, closer to the start of the iconic Hill Climb. It’s the perfect spot to witness the ‘Lotus Moment’, a unique parade of Lotus cars past and present, taking place every day and a fitting tribute to celebrate the brand’s 75th anniversary year. Check daily schedules for exact timings.

Taking centre stage for Lotus is the Eletre, making its dynamic debut at the Festival. With customer deliveries starting soon in the UK and across Europe, Goodwood is the perfect time to discover its unique design, advanced all-electric powertrain and intuitive driver-focused technology.

The Eletre is aimed at a new generation of Lotus customers. A true Lotus, it blends the core DNA of the Emira and Evija, reinterpreting them as a practical, versatile and spacious family-oriented hyper-SUV. Twice a day members of the Lotus Customer Experience team will be demonstrating its capabilities on the Lotus stand, including the active aerodynamics and immersive 23-speaker audio system created in partnership with British brand KEF and sound processing pioneer Dolby.

Goodwood Festival of Speed also marks the eagerly anticipated expansion of the Emira range, with the public debut of the 2.0-litre four-cylinder version. Customer deliveries of the Emira four-cylinder will start later this year.

For Lotus fans who love the live action thrills of Goodwood, all four current cars – Eletre, Emira, Emira V6 (Thursday only) and the pure electric hypercar, the Evija – will be taking part in Hill Climb activity throughout the Festival. Examples will also be on the Lotus stand, and an Eletre and Emira 2.0-litre will be in the First Glance Paddock.

Mike Johnstone, Group Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer, Lotus, commented: “In our 75th year we’ve got an amazing Goodwood Festival of Speed line-up. The current range is a fitting tribute to everything that’s come before, and this is such a great venue for enthusiasts to see our cars and learn about the transformation of Lotus from our knowledgeable product experts.”

The Lotus stand will be a hub of activity all weekend. Plans include a live Q&A with F1 World Champion Jenson Button (Saturday), who will also be driving a Lotus Evija in the Hill Climb on Saturday, two live recordings of the hugely popular US-based motoring podcast The Smoking Tire (Friday and Saturday), and daily presentations of the Eletre’s audio system by experts from KEF.

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Peter Horbury, Executive Vice-President of Design, Group Lotus.

He passed away earlier this week while visiting colleagues in China, doing what he has always done – leading, inspiring and mentoring others to challenge conventions and be the best that they can be.

Peter was the most charismatic man, and one of the most influential automotive designers that the UK has ever produced. He joined Lotus in 2021, the culmination of a career which had lasted nearly half a century, and which saw him design some of the world’s most significant and pioneering cars.

Prior to joining Lotus, Peter was Executive Vice-President of Design for the Geely Group, overseeing the design for a huge portfolio of vehicles for its many brands. He had previously held senior global positions at Ford, Volvo and Chrysler.

Feng Qingfeng, CEO, Group Lotus, commented: “Peter’s timeless design is his legacy, and it can be found on roads across the world today, enjoyed by millions of drivers. His many friends, colleagues and admirers at Lotus, across the wider Geely business, and in the global automotive industry will all miss him greatly.”

Our thoughts are with Peter’s family and friends, and we would request that their privacy is respected at this difficult time.

The ongoing transformation of Lotus to a truly global performance business and brand has reached its most significant milestone yet – the arrival of the Eletre hyper-SUV.

The Lotus Eletre is a striking and progressive new model, the first of a new breed of pure electric performance SUVs. It takes the core principles and Lotus DNA from 75 years of sports car design and engineering, evolving them into a desirable all-new lifestyle vehicle.

It’s aimed at a new generation of Lotus customers; those who value the world-class dynamic performance and striking design which have always been part of the Lotus experience, and who also need a practical, versatile and spacious family-focused vehicle – one that’s packed with the latest digital technology to make their driving life safer and more convenient.

The Eletre is a true Lotus. It takes the heart and soul of the latest Lotus sports car – the Emira – and the revolutionary aerodynamics of the all-electric Evija hypercar, and reinterprets them as a hyper-SUV. It delivers class-leading ride and handling, steering and aero performance – areas of automotive design and engineering where Lotus has both pioneered and dominated throughout its 75-year history, on road cars and race cars. It is also the epitome of beautiful design, efficient and elegant engineering solutions, embracing technology, the best craftsmanship, advanced materials, innovation and ingenuity, and pushing new boundaries. These are the very things which made Lotus great in the first place.

The Eletre is the latest in a long line of Lotus road cars whose name begins with the letter E, and it means ‘Coming to Life’ in some Eastern European languages. It’s an appropriate link as the Eletre marks the start of a new chapter in the history of Lotus – the first accessible EV and the first SUV.

The Eletre is ‘Born British, Raised Globally’, a collaboration between highly experienced and dedicated Lotus teams in the UK, Germany and China. They include the product definition and attributes teams at Hethel, the home of Lotus since 1966; the design teams at UK Creative Centre (UKCC) in Coventry; the engineering and dynamics teams at Germany Innovation Centre (GIC) in Raunheim; and the Lotus Tech engineering and manufacturing teams in Wuhan.

Following a world premiere in London in March 2022, thousands of customers around the world have already placed deposits to secure their Eletre. Three different versions of the car are available – Eletre, Eletre S and Eletre R – with the choice of two powertrains.

First customer deliveries started in China in March, and will follow in global markets – including Europe and the UK – later this summer.

Mike Johnstone, Group Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer, Lotus, commented: “Like every Lotus, the Eletre is first and foremost a car ‘For The Drivers’. Its DNA is 100% Lotus, with exceptional dynamic performance. It’s also the most advanced Lotus ever, blending that performance with comfort, practicality, versatile space, cutting-edge tech and modern luxury design into a vehicle that brings the Lotus experience to a whole new group of customers for the first time.”

Mike added: “We know that two-seater sports cars are not for everyone, but the fantastic experience of driving a Lotus should be. The Eletre, plus the other fully electric lifestyle models that we’ve already announced, are providing customers and fans with a range of highly desirable Lotus cars that can fulfil all their needs at different times of their life. It’s a natural progression for the brand, and a hugely exciting one because Lotus is about delivering the very best performance no matter what segment the car sells in.”

Maximilian Szwaj, Vice-President of Lotus Technology and Managing Director, GIC, commented: “Since its inception exactly 75 years ago, Lotus has always been at the cutting edge of innovation, pioneering advances in aerodynamics, active systems and lightweight construction. Eletre embodies all of those fundamental qualities, and adds state-of-the-art technologies – including deployable LIDAR sensors – backed by future-proofed hardware and software. The world-class customer experience is driven by a stunning 5G-capable infotainment system powered by Lotus Hyper OS which offers best-in-class performance for visual effects and interactive feedback. Quite simply, this is the most advanced Lotus ever made.”

The Eletre’s comprehensive standard specification includes active air suspension, continuous damping control, torque vectoring, Lotus Intelligent Dynamic Chassis Control, 22-inch 10-spoke forged wheels in silver with a diamond-turned finish (20-inch five-spoke in European markets), Matrix LED headlights, Adaptive Cruise Control, Visual Park Assist, four-zone climate control, 12-way electric-adjust front seats, head-up display, wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto, and a 1,380W 15-speaker KEF Premium Audio system.

The Eletre S is focused on customers seeking luxury. The enhanced specification includes additional features such as soft door close, privacy glass, active rear spoiler, configurable ambient lighting, illuminated side sills, air quality system, 2,160-watt 23-speaker KEF Reference Audio system, and 22-inch 10-spoke forged wheels in grey with a diamond-turned finish.

The flagship Eletre R is all about performance, and benefits from the Lotus Dynamic Handling Pack (comprising Intelligent Active Roll Control and Active Rear Steering), Carbon Pack, Pirelli P Zero performance tyres, and a gloss black finish for the wheels. There’s also a sixth Drive Mode: Track.

Eletre customers have the opportunity to tailor their vehicle to their requirements using the comprehensive list of option packs. These include the Executive Seat Pack, Comfort Seat Pack, Extended Carbon Fibre Pack, Interior Carbon Fibre Pack, Parking Pack and a Highway Assist Pack.

For even greater customer choice and personalisation, many features from the packs are available as standalone options. There is also a wide range of colours, materials and finishes available on the interior. Available to order now, the Eletre is priced from £89,500 in the UK and €95,990 in Europe. Pricing in other regions will be announced in due course.

A technical tour de force

Lotus has always been one of the most innovative and technology-led automotive brands, and the Eletre is the culmination of 75 years of pioneering achievement in the fields of ride and handling, steering, aerodynamics and active systems. The result of an exhaustive global engineering development programme, the Eletre has been tested over more than one million miles in some of the harshest environments on earth, including on the challenging Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit in Germany. The Eletre fuses the fundamentals of Lotus dynamics DNA with cutting edge chassis and driving safety technologies, state-of-the-art electric powertrains, plus a luxurious and spacious interior with world-class infotainment to deliver a new type of Lotus for enthusiastic performance car drivers worldwide.

With the Eletre, Lotus is delivering more innovation, more technology, more capability and more appeal than ever before. Offering a range of up to 600km (373 miles), the convenience of fast-charging from 10-80 per cent in just 20 minutes, and acceleration from 0-100km/h (0-62mph) in a breathtaking 2.95 seconds on the flagship R model, the Eletre takes full advantage of all the benefits electrification can offer and uses them to comprehensively enhance the driving experience.

The effortless, instant torque and all-wheel drive traction delivered by the two electric motors, together with active air suspension, also brings a completely new dimension to Lotus ownership: the ability to carry on driving where the road ends, and to tow up to 2,250kg.

A comprehensive suite of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) is also part of the Eletre experience: Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC); Highway Assist (HWA); Collision Mitigation Support Front (CMSF); Traffic Sign Information (TSI); Door Open Warning (DOW); Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA); Front Cross Traffic Alert (FCTA); Lane Change Assist (LCA); Life Detection and Care (LDC); Lane Keep Aid with Lane Departure Warning / Prevention (LKA+); Parking Emergency Brake (PEB); Collision Mitigation Support Rear (CMSR); and Emergency Rescue Call (E-Call). Each is designed to make every journey safer and more relaxing.

There’s also a 29-inch head-up display with semi-augmented reality that can overlay contextual graphics onto the view ahead to help the driver keep their eyes on the road. A remote parking function in the smartphone app enables the Eletre owner to manoeuvre the car into a tight parking space while outside the vehicle, making it possible to fit into spaces which would otherwise be unsuitable. The suite of state-of-the-art sensors is also future-proofed to deliver further advances in automated driving capability via over-the-air (OTA) updates.

Eletre customers in Europe benefit from a five-year / 150,000km vehicle warranty with an eight-year / 200,000km battery warranty. In the UK, customers receive a five-year / 100,000-mile vehicle warranty with an eight-year / 150,000-mile battery warranty. All customers get five years of pan-European roadside assistance.

Chassis Technology and Vehicle Dynamics: A new benchmark in the SUV segment

Every Lotus has to deliver the ideal balance of agility, handling and comfort: this is fundamental to the brand’s DNA and to the unrivalled driver appeal each model offers. Through a combination of its light, stiff platform, sophisticated suspension systems and intelligent all-wheel drive, the Eletre engineering team had the ideal starting point for vehicle dynamics development. Adding even further capability are technologies such as active anti-roll control, torque vectoring by braking, and active rear-wheel steering. Networking all of these advanced technologies together so that they interact seamlessly as one, the result is an SUV that steers, corners and rides like only a Lotus can.

The Eletre features sophisticated multi-link suspension systems front and rear, with components made from lightweight aluminium. The design of each enables effective decoupling of lateral and longitudinal loads, delivering superb ride quality together with outstanding responsiveness without one attribute compromising the other.

The innovative dual-chamber air springs, fitted as standard across the Eletre range, enable independent control of ride height and stiffness. In addition to comfort and refinement, the active air suspension also provides speed-dependent lowering of the car by up to 25mm to reduce drag and therefore improve range. It can also increase ride height by between 15mm and 25mm to enhance off-highway capability.

The electronically-controlled damping system – CDC – continuously measures the loads coming into the suspension at a rate of 1,000 times per second, and adapts the damping rate 500 times per second, for improved body control without any harshness. It means the Eletre ‘breathes’ with the road, as every Lotus should.

The Eletre is the first Lotus to use electromechanical power steering. The system has been meticulously tuned to deliver the pure, truly connected feel, feedback and intuitive response to the driver’s inputs that’s a hallmark of every Lotus and for which Eletre also sets the class benchmark. And, at only 2.5 turns lock-to-lock, the steering is sports-car quick as well. With the rack-mounted motor only consuming power on-demand, the system offers greater energy efficiency than those relying on hydraulics to provide the assistance.

The active rear-wheel-steering system makes the Eletre even more agile and is another Lotus first. The technology is offered, together with Intelligent Active Roll Control (IARC), as part of the Lotus Dynamic Handling Pack that’s fitted as standard to the Eletre R and optional on Eletre and Eletre S. Actuators mounted on the rear subframe connected to the toe control arm can rotate the rear suspension knuckle by up to 3.5º. At low speeds, the rear wheels turn in the opposite direction to the fronts, effectively reducing the wheelbase and therefore reducing the turning circle by up to 0.8 metres to enhance manoeuvrability. At high speeds, the rear wheels turn in the same direction as the fronts, improving stability.

IARC is a third-generation 48-volt system featuring powerful and fast-acting electromechanical actuators. Taking their input from the body displacement sensors, their required output torque is calculated in only two milliseconds, delivering precision control of the required roll stiffness, resulting in even more neutral cornering and improved composure. When driving on smooth, flat roads, IARC effectively decouples the anti-roll bars, benefiting ride comfort.

Managing the interaction of all of these systems is Lotus’ incredible new 6D Integrated Chassis Control (ICC) system. ICC seamlessly integrates the response of each component – together with the all-wheel drive system’s torque distribution and the active aerodynamics – to perfectly balance control and comfort in every driving scenario by continuously analysing the vehicle’s behaviour across multiple dimensions: vertical, lateral and longitudinal motion, plus pitch, roll and yaw. This technology, developed in-house by Lotus, significantly expands the Eletre’s dynamic capability and delivers an even more rewarding, engaging driving experience for the customer.

Drivers can also tailor the Eletre’s character to their individual taste by selecting one of the different Drive Modes, either through the central touchscreen or using the shift paddles behind the steering wheel. Each Mode subtly alters the vehicle’s settings to deliver a range of different benefits:

Tour Mode is the default mode, and balances driving comfort and energy consumption

Range Mode reduces the energy consumption of systems such as climate control, optimises front and rear torque distribution and offers a more progressive accelerator pedal response to increase range

Sport Mode sharpens the powertrain and chassis response, enhancing drivability and handling

Off-Road Mode can be used to enhance traction on low-friction surfaces to remove the risk of wheelspin

Individual Mode allows the driver to choose specific settings for powertrain, suspension and steering

Track Mode (Eletre R only) reduces ride height and powertrain response compared to Sport Mode, and also raises the threshold for the electronic stability control system’s intervention, giving the driver more influence over the vehicle’s cornering behaviour, making it ideal for spirited driving on a circuit

Comprehensive development work on the tyres and brakes has also taken place. Working in partnership with Pirelli, Lotus has engineered a range of high-performance 22 and 23-inch P Zero and ultra-high performance 22-inch P Zero Corsa tyres specifically for the Eletre. Each delivers an ideal balance of wet and dry grip, especially under the high loads resulting from the instant torque from the electric motors.

The braking system developed for the Eletre stands out for its six-piston front calipers and two-piece Brembo discs, comprising steel rotors and aluminium mounting bells. Joined together by a special casting process, these discs offer weight savings compared to conventional one-piece cast discs, and improved thermal management at high temperatures for improved braking performance – characteristics proven during the demanding testing programme at the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife.

A carbon ceramic braking system is available as an option on the Eletre R (and Eletre S in European markets). This features AP Racing’s 10-piston ‘Radi-Cal’ calipers on the front axle: the highly optimised, asymmetric form of the forged aluminium components means they are the same weight as the six-piston calipers but offer 60 per cent more pressure area for even higher performance. They clamp Brembo’s carbon ceramic discs, which are less than half the weight of the six-piston system’s discs, and can operate at extreme temperatures exceeding 1,000ºC, offering outstanding fade resistance. They also offer a service life which is typically double that of steel discs. Calipers are available in a choice of six colours, depending on the spec chosen.

Bespoke, multi-material EV architecture: light, stiff, strong

Ensuring that the Eletre would deliver the benchmark ride, handling and agility expected of a Lotus, it was developed from day one on the all-new Electric Premium Architecture (EPA). This highly flexible, modular platform is bespoke to Lotus, and will be at the core of a range of new premium lifestyle performance EVs which will be developed over the next few years.

Engineered to maximise the benefits of electrification, including packaging the battery between the axles and beneath the floor to lower the centre of gravity and maximise cabin space, EPA features an intelligent mix of advanced materials to deliver the high torsional stiffness and light weight that are fundamental to Lotus dynamics DNA. This approach delivers an overall weight saving of 10 per cent on the complete body structure.

Aluminium high-pressure die-castings feature in key components such as the damper mounting points – the two front castings alone save 6kg compared to steel parts – together with aluminium extrusions and for the sills and stampings for the body panels. The three-piece bonnet assembly is 8kg lighter because of its aluminium construction, while the frameless aluminium doors save a further 6kg.

In all, advanced aluminium alloys account for 43 per cent of the platform itself, and 50.7 per cent of the complete body structure. They are combined with high and ultra-high strength steels, together with hot-formed steels to reinforce the A and B-pillars and enhance crash protection. A lightweight composite is used to form part of the rear floor. A total of 16 different advanced joining technologies are used throughout, including structural adhesives, self-piercing rivets, flow-drilled screws, spot welding and laser welding.

Together with the state-of-the-art suspension systems, this light, stiff body structure is key to the Eletre’s exceptional balance of dynamic capability, comfort and refinement, whether on road, track or off-road. It is also engineered to meet or exceed the requirements of the world’s most stringent legislative and consumer safety regulations.

Dual-motor all-electric powertrain: power, performance and efficiency

Befitting its status as a hyper-SUV, Eletre’s propulsion system technology delivers the searing performance expected of a truly rewarding, engaging, driver-focused machine, together with the energy efficiency essential for long range and day-to-day usability.

Packaged beneath the vehicle floor is a state-of-the-art, 800-volt, 112kWh Lithium-ion battery pack. Compared to conventional 400-volt systems, the 800-volt architecture reduces the operating current by half for the same power output. The benefits for the customer are threefold: less weight because smaller diameter cables can be used in the wiring harnesses; enhanced power efficiency and improved thermal management as less heat is generated; and much faster charging.

The configuration of the battery pack is innovative too. Instead of being packaged first within a number of separate modules, the prismatic cells are arranged directly within the battery’s structural casing. This has the advantages of reducing weight, and improving packaging as more cells can be housed within a given volume. The result is enhanced energy density – more than 175Wh/kg – which translates into longer range for the driver.

The battery pack’s sophisticated thermal management system and battery control module deliver the ideal operating conditions crucial to both range and durability. Precise control of heating and cooling ensures uniform heat distribution across all of the cells and ensures optimal temperatures under extremes such as high-power charging at up to 350kW, driving in sub-zero conditions or sustained high-speed cruising.

Integrating light and compact electric motors into the front and rear axles provides incredible performance and also makes Eletre the first all-wheel drive Lotus road car – a significant milestone in the brand’s evolution. The permanent magnet, synchronous motors are housed together with the transmissions and inverters inside a single, cast housing for optimum packaging efficiency. All models feature a single-speed transmission on the front axle. While the same is true for the rear axle of the Eletre and Eletre S, the Eletre R features a two-speed design: first gear has a ratio of 13.65:1, and second gear is 7.16:1. For the customer, this creates the ideal balance of superb launch performance and acceleration, together with enhanced efficiency – and therefore range – at high speeds.

Shifts are automatic, and utilise friction plate clutches for smoothness. Weighing only 156kg, the Eletre R’s rear drive unit is some 14kg lighter than comparable two-speed designs. The inverters feature state-of-the-art silicon carbide material to deliver the highest possible energy efficiency.

These highly advanced electric drive units deliver astonishing and exploitable new levels of performance to the SUV segment, together with remarkable efficiency.  With 603hp and 710Nm of instant torque, the Eletre and Eletre S can accelerate from 0-100km/h (0-62mph) in only 4.5 seconds and go on to a maximum speed of 258km/h (160mph). Both can achieve a WLTP Combined range of up to 600km (373 miles)4. With an incredible 905hp and 985Nm, the Eletre R covers the benchmark sprint in just 2.95 seconds and can reach 265km/h (165mph). WLTP Combine range is 490km (304 miles).

The electric drive units also greatly enhance real-world range. Unlike a combustion engine vehicle which converts kinetic energy to heat during braking, the Eletre can recuperate a significant proportion of this because the motors act as generators during deceleration, with the energy then recharging the battery. The driver can select from two levels of regenerative braking using the two tactile paddles on the steering wheel, their intricate shapes enabled by using a metal injection moulding manufacturing process. To ensure drivers receive consistent, progressive pedal feel under all conditions, friction braking and regenerative braking are seamlessly blended together.

Another attribute that the Eletre’s effortless torque and outstanding all-wheel drive traction underpin – and one which adds another dimension to its performance – is towing capacity. Selected models are rated at 2,250kg (with braked trailer) and cars with 22-inch wheels be specified with the optional deployable electric tow bar which shows neatly away when not in use. An additional 90kg can be carried on the roof bars, which, together with 688-litre rear (five-seat version) and 46-litre front luggage compartments, gives the Eletre the versatility and practicality to match its luxury and performance.

Charging: fast, simple, convenient

To enhance the ownership experience and make driving the Eletre even more enjoyable, it offers charging to match its range and performance. All models feature a 22kW on-board AC charger as standard: customers with a 22kW wallbox at home will be able to fully replenish the battery from 0-100 per cent in less than six hours – ideal for overnight charging.

Customers can also fully control how much to charge using the Lotus smartphone app. The app enables them to set the pre-conditioning function: while the vehicle is plugged-in, it uses mains electricity to heat or cool the battery to the ideal operating temperature, and brings the cabin temperature to the customer’s desired setting. This is far more efficient than drawing power directly from the battery and, as well as enhancing occupant comfort, pre-conditioning also enhances range, particularly in winter conditions when you need it the most.

When using the rapidly-growing network of public charging stations worldwide, Eletre customers benefit from the convenience of rapid 350kW DC charging. Perfect for topping-up the battery on long journeys when stopping for a break, just 20 minutes is enough to recharge from 10-80 per cent, and more than 120km (74 miles) of range can be added in only five minutes. Finding charging stations along the route is easy, thanks to the intelligent navigation system which not only highlights where they are, but also if they’re available or not.

Form and function: active aerodynamics

Eletre’s dramatic, cab-forward design evolves the iconic design language of the mid-engine Lotus sports car into a hyper-SUV. The ‘carved by air’ design ethos as seen in the Evija hypercar and Emira sports car is much more than skin deep, and seamlessly integrates a raft of active aerodynamic technologies which together enhance efficiency, performance and dynamics, and contribute to a drag coefficient of just 0.26.

One of the most significant features is the active front grille. An integral part of the Emira and Evija-inspired front end design, this comprises a row of seven individual apertures, each one featuring six triangular petals. These petals smoothly open and close on demand to meet the Eletre’s requirements for cooling airflow to the powertrain’s e-motors and radiators, and to the brakes.

Crucially, in colder markets, they can stay closed to retain heat. Unique to the Eletre R, if the driver selects Track Mode, the grille is always fully open, helping to ensure the vehicle can deliver sustained, high-performance driving and braking.

The Electric Reverse Mirror Displays (ERMD)1, which use high-definition cameras to stream the view behind the vehicle to six-inch displays in the front doors, have a much smaller frontal area than traditional rear view mirrors. As well as enhanced vision, the ERMD technology can reduce the wind resistance coefficient by up to 1.5 per cent, further improving aero performance and useable range.

Delivering the same benefit is the deployable, state-of-the-art LIDAR sensor mounted at the top of the windscreen and front wheel arches. These remain hidden when not in use by the Eletre’s comprehensive suite of advanced driver assistance systems.

Another innovation is the Eletre’s active rear spoiler, packaged neatly into the tailgate. Working in combination with the distinctive split floating roof spoiler above, it automatically adjusts between three positions, depending on vehicle speed, acceleration, braking and Drive Mode setting.

When deployed at an angle of 18º, the spoiler can reduce the drag coefficient by up to 1.8%, while also increasing downforce by up to 60kg; moving to 32º increases the drag coefficient slightly, by 1.8%, but more than doubles downforce to 112.5kg.  Fully deployed to 34º delivers maximum deceleration to assist maximum braking effort.

Eletre inside: the digital cockpit

The Eletre has an interior like no Lotus before it. The luxurious, spacious cabin effortlessly fuses a performance-orientated, technical design with world-class infotainment and connectivity and a curated selection of the very finest materials and finishes which convey luxury, exclusivity and precision craftsmanship – with an equal focus on sustainability.

The Eletre’s intelligent ‘Digital Cockpit’ uses cutting-edge technology to enhance the driving experience by combining beautifully rendered graphics, super-fast responses and intuitive operation. Lotus Hyper OS – an all-new operating system making its debut in Eletre – provides a seamless interactive experience that offers best-in-class performance and interactive feedback, putting the user – driver or passenger – in complete control.

The specification includes dual Qualcomm 8155 Snapdragon chips for exceptional processing power, together with 12GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Use of ‘Unreal Engine’ technology from the world of computer gaming enables real-time 3D animations and experiences. The best possible connectivity is ensured by 5G compatibility. Software-over-the-air capability ensures the Eletre’s Digital Cockpit is always up to date, and continuously improves over time as new functionality becomes available.

Another innovation is a virtual personal assistant so that customers can interact with the vehicle just by speaking: simply say “Hi Lotus, I’m cold”, for example, and the cabin temperature is adjusted accordingly, enabling drivers to keep their hands on the steering wheel and eyes on the road.

The central touchscreen is a slimline, deployable, 15.1-inch HD OLED design that’s only 10mm thick. Able to display beautifully crisp, clear images using over 16 million colours, it offers exceptional clarity and a truly immersive experience for the driver. Navigation functionality, developed with HERE Technologies (for European markets), includes EV Routing, EV Range Assistant and Predictive Routing. Beneath the touchscreen in the centre console is a wireless device charger to complement wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto2.

The front seat passenger has a high-definition touchscreen of their own, enabling them to control media playback and see information corresponding to voice control commands or receive prompts such as fasten seatbelt. In the rear, passengers can control climate control settings, seat adjustments, ambient lighting and media playback through a further HD touchscreen – an eight-inch or nine-inch deployable display for five-seat or four-seat configurations respectively.

The 12.6-inch HD OLED instrument cluster behind the steering wheel is paired with a 29-inch head-up display (HUD) with augmented reality to help the driver keep their eyes on the road. By projecting graphics which help to convey key information such as navigation or advanced driver assistance system alerts over corresponding objects up ahead, the HUD can make it quicker and easier for the driver to understand what’s happening around them, reducing distraction and enhancing safety.

Ensuring that every occupant can enjoy an unrivalled music experience, the Eletre offers two audio systems developed with KEF. KEF Premium is a 1,380-watt, 15-speaker, surround sound system, while KEF Reference is a 2,160-watt 23-speaker system featuring 3D surround sound and space-saving Uni-Core™ technology, and the Eletre is the first vehicle to offer it. To enhance depth, precision and clarity, both systems are combined with Dolby Atmos, and the pairing of this technology together with KEF Audio is another first.

A smartphone app developed for the Eletre enables customers to interact with the vehicle wherever they are. As well as using the app to control charging and pre-conditioning, it allows them to change climate control settings, purify the cabin air, remotely lock or unlock the vehicle, or just check information such as available range. Drivers can even use the app to remotely park the vehicle, for example, in tight spaces: they can watch their Eletre manoeuvre itself into parallel, perpendicular or diagonal spaces which would otherwise be too small if the occupants had to open the doors to get out.

Digital technology has even been applied to the panoramic glass roof3: it offers 10 different settings for the amount of light transmitted into the cabin. And, compared to conventional designs which use a separate sunblind, it offers better heat insulation, helping to reduce the energy consumption of the climate control system.

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems: safety, future-proofed

The Eletre is equipped with a full suite of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), all designed to enhance safety and make journeys more relaxing. To deliver this, a full complement of state-of-the-art sensors are used: 34 in total, including the four deployable LIDAR, six radar, seven 8MP HD cameras and 12 ultrasonic sensors. All together, they give the vehicle a true 360º view of the world around it.

To manage real-time processing of this wealth of data are two NVIDIA Orin-X chips, which provide a computing power capability of 500 TOPS – a phenomenal 500 trillion operations per second – and provide a fail-safe system architecture for enhanced functional safety. This level of technology, together with software and feature updates over-the-air, ensures that the Eletre not only provides the very latest ADAS functionality but is also able to deliver Level 4 autonomous driving capability as market regulations allow.

Eletre customers will be able to benefit from Highway Assist, which is designed to make long distance motorway driving more comfortable. Available from 30-150km/h, this builds on the Adaptive Cruise Control system’s management of speed and distance to vehicles in front by also automatically keeping the vehicle centred in its lane – even in bends.

Tiredness and driver distraction are among the main causes of road accidents, so Lotus has developed a Driver Monitoring System (DMS) which can help and support the driver if it determines that they’re not focused on the road ahead. Inside the cabin, near-infrared light is sent out which is reflected by the driver’s eyes and picked up by a camera: this determines, through filtering and complex calculations, where the driver is looking. Combined with other inputs such as the rate and duration of every blink, how the mouth is closed or open, and the way in which the vehicle is being driven, DMS can determine if there is a risk of them falling asleep or not paying attention to the road ahead. If these scenarios occur, visual and audible warnings are triggered, encouraging the driver to stop and take a break.

Another innovation is Life Detection and Care – a system designed to protect children or pets inadvertently left inside a locked vehicle. Should this occur, CPD will initiate three levels of warning: within 10 seconds of the vehicle being locked, the Eletre’s horn will sound and the lights will flash, and a notification will be sent to the driver. If the driver doesn’t act, the signals from the horn and lights will continue for five minutes. If no action is taken after five minutes and the temperature inside the cabin exceeds 35ºC, an emergency call will be made to the authorities to alert them to the potential risk, the windows will be lowered and a new notification will be sent to the driver.

Exterior design: daring and dramatic

Embracing the creative freedom which comes from the absence of a petrol engine, the Eletre’s dramatic form interprets 75 years of Lotus sports car design DNA into a stunning new theme befitting the brand’s first all-electric hyper-SUV. It is characterised by a cab-forward stance, long wheelbase and very short overhangs front and rear. Overall, there’s a visual lightness to the vehicle, creating the impression of a high-riding sports car rather than an SUV.

A signature element of the design is its ‘porosity’ – the aerodynamic principle of air flowing through the vehicle as well as under, over and around it. Porosity was at the heart of the Lotus Evija’s design, is integral to the Emira, and has provided clear inspiration for the Eletre. It is most obvious where air is channelled under the leading edge of the vehicle, emerging through two exit vents in the bonnet.

There are other examples of porosity ahead of and behind the front wheel arches, behind the rear wheels, and even at the top of the D-pillar. For the driver, the benefits are clear: the reductions in aerodynamic drag that they deliver improve both performance and range.

At the front of the Eletre, the very sharp and crisp leading edge reveals a clear lineage with the Emira and Evija. It draws a distinct line across the very striking and contemporary design treatment below. There are further echoes of Evija in the layering of the surfaces, the creation of space and the optimised, streamlined performance.

Just above the leading edge are the super-slim, technical light clusters which house the Daytime Running Lights and scrolling directional indicators. The full LED headlights, which use Matrix technology to permit constant high beam use without dazzling the vehicle in front, or oncoming traffic, are housed below, recessed and partially hidden. The headlights also feature an industry-first High Beam Spot Module with an incorporated active cornering light to increase visibility on dark, twisty roads. The module is light, compact and simple – a true Lotus story, combining two features in one design.  Lower down is the Eletre’s active front grille, a further example of the vehicle’s porosity.

Overall there is a unique sense of flow and a kinetic quality to the Eletre’s front end, the purity of which is enhanced by the deployable LIDAR sensor mounted at the top of the windscreen, which remains in its lowered position when not in use. The bold leading edge of the bonnet continues round into the front fenders, wheel arches and, ultimately, the length of the vehicle as a feature line. The taut and muscular lines are dominant above it, with the aerodynamic elements below.

In profile, the muscular haunches dominate. The air outlet immediately behind the front wheels defines the sculpted shape of the doors, which also feature deployable technology for the handles, allowing the surfacing to flow smoothly along the bodyside.

The aggressive rake of the windscreen – a sports car-like 27º – is clearly visible in profile, with the roofline tapering away dramatically at the rear, leading to a unique floating D-pillar that features an innovative ‘air blade’ which aids drag reduction. Another example of porosity, it’s an aerodynamic performance enhancement taken directly from the front bumper of the Emira.

At the rear, the full-width ribbon light strip picks up the feature line from the profile. Situated just above the Lotus wordmark, it is red when the vehicle is moving and includes a scrolling directional indicator at each end, where it curves gently into the air outlets from the wheel arches – another design cue which echoes both the Emira and Evija. The light can appear in four colours, playing a role in the car’s theatrical unlocking sequence and also indicating the battery’s charge status. The unique cantilevered carbon fibre ‘floating’ split roof spoiler is a motorsport-inspired design feature that evokes race car winglets. The central section is removed to reduce weight – a very Lotus concept – and allows the LIDAR sensor to be integrated at the top of the glass.

Interior design: luxurious, spacious

The Eletre takes Lotus interiors to an unprecedented new level. The performance-oriented and technical design is visually lightweight, using ultra-premium materials to deliver an exceptional customer experience, whether in the standard five-seat configuration or the optional four-seat layout. Above, a fixed panoramic roof2 floods the interior with natural light, adding to the bright and spacious feeling inside.

The driver-focused cockpit and high centre console are inspired by the Lotus Emira and Evija, creating a cossetted feeling. The layering of materials and textures creates a truly premium feel, augmented by a triangular theme – seen externally on the car’s active front grille – and replicated in multiple locations around the cabin.

The Lotus philosophy of lightweighting – removing material wherever it’s not needed – is clearly illustrated in the instrument panel. The floating wing’s central section has been taken out, echoing the design of the rear spoiler.

There is a wealth of practical storage space in the Eletre’s cabin. The centre console includes a storage tray with wireless phone charging functionality, as well as twin cupholders which remain flush to the surface until they’re needed. The beautifully sculpted door design includes storage which can accommodate a one litre bottle. Occupants in the rear also have a wireless charging mat, and when the middle seat of the standard three-seat configuration isn’t being used, it can be lowered down to become an armrest, also with two deployable cupholders.

Sustainability is also a key theme of the interior. A Lotus innovation which makes its debut in the Eletre is the Re-Fibre. A premium textile made from waste fabric from the fashion industry, this material has the softness of cotton, the lustre of silk and the smoothness of hemp, offering a new vision of sustainable luxury. Enhancing comfort, it also offers better air permeability than pure cotton. Offering a weight saving compared to leather, it also reduces consumption of raw materials and reduces CO2.

Customers can also choose Ultrafabric polyurethane seats. This material offers a technical finish and is half the weight of leather, which is perfectly aligned to the Lotus ethos of lightweighting. There’s also Alcantara: this microfibre material has been carbon neutral since 2009, and the material offered in the Eletre has been offset to zero carbon footprint. Carpets are made from Econyl – a material made from 100% post-consumer waste which is also fully recyclable.

Lotus Eletre: a milestone car for a milestone moment

With the Emira confirmed as the final combustion engine Lotus sports car, the Eletre’s significance as the first all-electric Lotus hyper-SUV is made all the more significant: it is a key milestone in the brand’s dramatic transformation as it embraces a bold new electrified era. Lotus has always used technical innovation, advanced aerodynamics and lightweighting to create vehicles which set the class benchmark for performance, ride and handling. The Eletre proudly continues this tradition, but with a step-change in versatility and usability, ensuring that the Lotus brand appeals to driving enthusiasts around the world like never before.

1 - Eletre is fitted with standard mirrors in markets where local regulations do not allow ERMD
2 - Not available in China
3 - Panoramic glass roof is optional in markets outside China
4 - With 20-inch wheel

Lotus Eletre: Technical Specification

Powertrain and performance:

	Eletre	Eletre S	Eletre R
Powertrain configuration	Full-time all-wheel drive with Lotus ICC intelligent torque distribution
Electric motor front / rear	Permanent magnet / Permanent magnet
Transmission front / rear	Single speed	Single speed	Single speed/ Two-speed
Max power (kW / hp)	450 / 603	450 / 603	675 / 905
Max torque (Nm)	710	710	985
Top speed (mph / km/h)	160 / 258	160 / 258	165 / 265
0-62 mph / 0-100 km/h (secs)	4.5	4.5	2.95
80-120 km/h (secs)	< 2.0	< 2.0	< 1.9
Battery capacity (kWh)	112	112	112
Battery type	Lithium-ion	Lithium-ion	Lithium-ion
Battery voltage	800	800	800
Charging time 10-80% (mins) via 350kW DC rapid  charger	20	20	20
Charging time 0-100% (hours) via 22kW AC wallbox	5.8	5.8	5.8
WLTP Combined range (km / miles)	600 / 373*	600 / 373*	490 / 304

* Using 20-inch wheel, available as a no-cost option in the UK

Chassis

Front suspension	Multi-link
Rear suspension	Multi-link
Springs	Dual-chamber air
Dampers	Continuous Damping Control
Steering	Electromechanical; rack and pinion
Front brake diameter (mm)	412	412	412
Front brake caliper	6-piston (4-piston in EU)	6-piston	6-piston
Rear brake diameter (mm)	397	397	397
Rear brake caliper	Sliding caliper with  Electric Park Brake	Sliding caliper with  Electric Park Brake	Sliding caliper with  Electric Park Brake

Dimensions (mm):

Length	5,103
Width with Electric Reverse Mirror Displays	2,135
Width with door mirrors	2,231
Track front / rear	1,706 / 1,684
Height	1,630 (20-inch wheel) 1,636 (22/23-inch wheel)
Wheelbase	3,019
Drag Coefficient (from)	0.26
Kerb weight (kg)	From 2,490	From 2,520	From 2,640
Ground clearance	187 (20-inch wheel) 194 (22/23-inch wheel)
Rear luggage compartment capacity	611 litres (four seats) 688 litres (five seats)
Rear luggage compartment capacity  (five-seater, rear seats folded)	1,532 litres
Front luggage compartment capacity	46 litres

Lotus Eletre: Pricing (from)

	Eletre	Eletre S	Eletre R
UK (GBP)	89,500	104,500	120,000
Germany (EUR)	95,990	120,990	150,990
Netherlands (EUR)	98,690	124,090	154,090
Belgium (EUR)	98,690	124,090	154,090
France (EUR)	97,890	123,090	153,090
Italy (EUR)	98,490	124,090	154,890
Norway (NOK)	999,990	1,299,990	1,650,990
Sweden (SEK)	1,130,990	1,420,990	1,750,990
Switzerland (CHF)	116,090	144,890	180,890

The Lotus Emira GT4 is in production and now ready for delivery to its first customers, with a significantly enhanced spec and performance.

First examples of the eagerly anticipated new Lotus race car will be shipped to owners over the summer, with orders from the UK, Europe, China, Australia and the USA.

The Emira GT4 has been homologated for competition in global GT4 classes and, thanks to a comprehensive options list, is also eligible for other non-homologated and specialist race series around the world.

After extensive development work by the Lotus team in collaboration with world-renowned motorsport partner RML Group, the car has been upgraded from the version that was unveiled at a VIP event at Hethel, Norfolk, last year. Improvements include:

- Increased power – up more than 10% to 455 bhp
- All-new six-speed paddleshift sequential racing gearbox and control system
- Optimised aerodynamics to suit both tight/twisty and fast/flowing circuits
- Enhancements to the braking system, springs, damping and cooling packs

Gavan Kershaw, Director of Vehicle Attributes, Lotus, and a former British GT Championship winner has been heavily involved in the development of the Emira GT4 from day one. He commented: “The Emira road car was such an excellent starting point for a GT4, and we’ve now further refined and tuned the package with the team at RML to create what we believe is a highly competitive and performance-oriented race car. We know our customers are keen to get behind the wheel and we’re looking forward to seeing their results.”

For anyone wanting to see the car and find out more, it will be on display at the Snetterton round of the British GT Championship on 17-18 June.

The Emira GT4 is the culmination of 75 years of innovation on the road and track, and marks the start of an exciting new era in performance GT racing for Lotus. Motorsport has always been part of the Lotus story. This year is the 75th anniversary of the first Lotus, the Mk I, which was a trials car built by founder Colin Chapman in 1948.

Lotus has been synonymous with worldwide racing success ever since, and the company has pioneered many of the technical innovations which make racing the thrilling sport it is today. Lotus’ impressive roll-call of honours includes seven Formula 1 Constructors' titles, six Drivers' Championships and victory in the legendary Indianapolis 500.

Most recently Lotus has been racing with the Evora GT4, which won prestigious races and championships in categories such as British GT, Dubai 24hrs, Barcelona 24hrs, European GT, Sepang 12hrs and the Pirelli World Challenge.

All Emira GT4 customer cars are being hand-built by the RML team at a dedicated new production facility at Wellingborough, UK. There is no limit on the number which can be produced. The Lotus Emira GT4 is priced at £179,000 plus taxes and delivery. For more information contact Russell Gibbons at the Lotus motorsport department on rgibbons@lotuscars.com

Lotus Emira GT4: technical specification and performance data

Engine	Lotus-tuned Toyota V6 2GR-FE, dry sump, Motec engine management
Cubic capacity	3,456 cc
Power	455 bhp*
Torque	500 Nm*
RPM	7,000 rpm*
Supercharger	Harrop TVS 1900
Transmission	Hewland six-speed sequential with paddleshift actuation and LSD
Fuel tank capacity	96-litre FIA FT3-approved, with dry brake filler
Electronics	Motec dashboard with data-logging  Motorsport wiring harness
Suspension	Double wishbone front & rear  Two-way adjustable Ohlins TTx dampers  Front and rear anti-roll bars
Brakes	Competition specification brake system.  Bosch adjustable Motorsport ABS
Tyres	Pirelli GT4 265/645x18 (front) and 305/660x18 (rear)
Safety equipment	Motorsport UK homologated and FIA-compliant six-point roll cage  FIA-compliant HANS-approved seat with six-point harness  Electronic fire extinguisher system / isolator switches
Dimensions	Length 4,410mm / height 1,290mm / track 1,636mm
Weight/Mass	1,360kg* for base vehicle and subject to specification
Body	Extruded and bonded aluminium chassis with composite panels
Aerodynamics	Composite front splitter assembly and rear-mounted aerofoil
Wheels	Forged aluminium
Price	From £179,000 plus taxes & delivery  Various options available on request

 *Subject to Balance of Performance

Lotus has relaunched in South Korea and signed an exciting new partnership with highly respected luxury and premium automotive retailer Kolon Mobility Group (KMG).

Following an official ceremony in Seoul attended by the senior leadership teams of both organisations, KMG has become the official importer and sole distributor of Lotus in South Korea.

The first visible expression of the collaboration is a stunning new Lotus Brand Centre in Seoul. With construction scheduled to start shortly, it will open in Q4 2023 in the world-renowned high-fashion district of Gangnam, home to many modern luxury stores and boutique hotels. The stunning building will showcase Lotus’ expanding performance car range in a premium state-of-the-art setting over three lower floors.

KMG is launching its business with two thrilling Lotus models – the Emira and Eletre. The Emira is the last mainstream ICE sports car from Lotus and the best of breed. It challenges conventional performance car attributes and thinking by blending exotic supercar looks, everyday usability, enhanced comfort and class-leading Lotus performance and driving dynamics.

The all-new and all-electric Lotus Eletre is a progressive and striking hyper-SUV. It takes the core principles of the brand’s DNA from 75 years of sports car design and engineering, evolving them into a desirable all-new lifestyle car for the next generation of Lotus customers.

The Brand Centre in Seoul will be complemented by an official ‘one-stop shop’ Lotus Service Centre, to be established in Ilsandong-gu, Goyang-si. It will also open to customers in Q4 2023.

Architects’ images of both locations reveal how the focus will be around providing a world-class customer experience for current and future Lotus owners from the moment they walk in.

Mike Johnstone, Group Vice-President and Chief Commercial Officer, Lotus, was in Seoul for the official partnership signing. He commented: “We’re delighted to be relaunching in South Korea, and doing so with such a renowned and respected partner as Kolon Mobility Group. With premium Lotus performance cars such as the Eletre, Emira and others on the horizon, we are looking forward to engaging with a new audience and new customers in South Korea.”

Lotus has previously been present in the market with a different retail partner. New partner KMG is well-known as an official retailer for other luxury and premium automotive brands, a portfolio which is further enhanced with the addition of Lotus.

Lee Kyu-ho, CEO, KMG, said: “We are delighted to be the new partner for Lotus in South Korea. It is an iconic brand which is undergoing an amazing global transformation, and we are looking forward to welcoming customers and fans into our wonderful new Brand Centre. In collaborating with Lotus, we continue to dedicate every effort to present a wide range of mobility experiences to our customers.”

The first Lotus cars will arrive in Q1 2024 and Q3 2024 for Emira and Eletre customers respectively. However, brand / product digital marketing starts immediately as the local market website goes live. An e-Commerce capability is planned for launch at a later date.

South Korea is a key conquest market for Lotus in the region. Mike Johnstone commented: “Lotus has a long-established and loyal group of customers and fans in Asia-Pacific markets. We are relaunching the brand in South Korea with a new product line-up and strategy, and are confident it will become one of the largest markets in Asia for Lotus, outside of China, as the business continues its global expansion.”

Lotus already has strong relationships with long-term partners in many other local markets. In those where it does not, particularly Vietnam and Indonesia, development work is progressing rapidly.

Dan Balmer, Regional Director for APAC, Middle East and Africa, Lotus, said: “We are developing both current and new partners, and exciting opportunities in other new markets, to scale up for the arrival of the Eletre and the new models beyond.”

He added: “Since the launch of Eletre, we have received strong interest from all markets in the region, and we’re already working with those local partners in finalising the launch plans for them. We will confirm those plans in due course.”

The memory of Hazel Chapman, who with her husband Colin Chapman established Lotus in 1948, has been celebrated with the dedication of ‘Hazel Chapman Way’, a new road which runs through the heart of Lotus’ sports cars HQ in Hethel, Norfolk.

The event was led by Matt Windle, Group Vice-President and Managing Director of Lotus Cars, and Hazel and Colin’s grandchildren. It included the ceremonial unveiling of a road sign and the planting of a Maidenhair Tree (Gingko biloba), chosen as a particular favourite of Hazel’s.

It was followed by the planting of 10 trees in an area of land adjacent to the famous Hethel test track which, in time, will become a small woodland. The work was carried out by children from the nearby Wreningham VC Primary School. Earlier they had participated in a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths) challenge run by the Lotus Learning Academy, where they designed, built and ran their own model cars.

STEAM activities to inspire the next generation, and a commitment to improving the local area through the planting of trees, are initiatives aligned to Driving Change, the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Charter which Lotus published last year.

Hazel Chapman Way runs alongside the all-new Lotus Retail Centre and staff restaurant, recently completed as part of the ongoing transformation of the Hethel site. The road is flanked by a number of trees including maples, poplars, willows and cherries, planted to follow the site’s horticultural and landscaping plan conceived nearly 60 years ago by Hazel Chapman herself.

On display for the distinguished guests to view was the current range of new Lotus performance cars – the Emira, the last Lotus petrol-powered sports car and the best of breed; the Evija, the world’s first all-electric British hypercar; and the Eletre, the world’s first all-electric hyper-SUV.

By contrast, with them was the original Lotus Mk 3 from 1951 – the second oldest Lotus car in existence, which was built by Colin and Hazel Chapman and raced competitively by them in the early 1950s.

Matt Windle commented: “Lotus is indebted to Hazel Chapman and we are delighted to help celebrate her life and legacy in this small way. The Hethel site is such a wonderful place to work, surrounded by fields in the heart of south Norfolk. Today we’ve added to that natural landscape with the planting of new trees that will further enhance our environment.”

Clive Chapman, Director of Classic Team Lotus and son of Colin and Hazel Chapman, added: “We are very grateful to Lotus for this dedication of Hazel Chapman Way, at the heart of the Hethel site, which is so appropriate. Our family is delighted to see how the Lotus legacy that Colin and Hazel Chapman started 75 years ago is also being nurtured and cared for by its shareholders. On behalf of all my family, we thank Lotus very much for this lovely honour being bestowed on Hazel today.”

The dedication of Hazel Chapman Way coincided with the birthdays of Colin Chapman (19 May) and of Hazel Chapman (21 May).

Lotus Emira, the last Lotus petrol-powered sports car collected another accolade by being named as ‘New Car of the Year’ at the annual AM Awards 2023, held in London this week.

To win The New Car of the Year Award, the Lotus Emira was voted for by both motor retail managers and the AM judging panel:

“Clearly the Emira is being seen as a fantastic start of a new chapter for Lotus and its dealers. It is the most accomplished Lotus road car yet, balancing a high level of driver engagement with the practicality of an everyday sportscar, and our audience – including dealers with rival brands - is now certainly very excited about the Lotus brand’s future. Emira will certainly attract new customers to Lotus and this will give the carmaker great foundations for growth,” said Tim Rose, editor, AM Online.

Receiving the award on behalf of Lotus, Geoff Dowding, Executive Director, Commercial Operations Lotus Cars said, “The Emira has won a number of accolades around the world, but this award from AM is particularly special as it was voted for by the well-informed AM judging panel and a discerning automotive industry, including retailers, dealers and senior management. Not only is the Emira is a brilliant sports car and the best in breed but also this award reinforces the confidence and excitement that the industry has for Lotus as it rapidly moves towards the EV future with the Lotus Evija and Lotus Eletre.”

Powered by either a 3.5-litre supercharged V6 engine or a 2.0-litre turbocharged ‘i4’ through a manual, automatic or Dual Clutch Transmission, the Lotus Emira accelerates to 0-60mph in 4.2 seconds before reaching a top speed of 180mph.

The Emira is manufactured at Lotus’ global HQ for sports car and hypercar operations in Hethel, Norfolk. Subassembly manufacturing for the lightweight and high tech aluminium chassis is at Lotus Advanced Structures in Norwich.

The Lotus Emira is one of three high tech performance cars built by Lotus, along with the Eletre, the world’s first all-electric hyper-SUV and the Evija, the world’s first all-electric British hypercar.

Lotus has announced its golden collaboration with British Cycling will continue, with the development of a new track bike for Team GB riders to use at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. The division of the business which delivers this and other consultancy work is Lotus Engineering, internationally recognised for its long-standing contribution to ground-breaking design, collaborative advanced engineering and innovative product development for OEMs, suppliers and other businesses.

The new bike’s development is the focus of the final chapter of the Lotus Engineering: The Innovators series, which turns the spotlight on the fourth of its core portfolio pillars – the Technical Services it offers to clients. These include intelligent design, product concept, attribute development and advanced materials, all of which are integral to the British Cycling project.

Mark Stringer, Commercial Director, Lotus Engineering, explained: “Technical Services is about what we can supply throughout the entire product development process. We take the core principals we have gained from automotive development, where we have a global pedigree, to develop solutions across the wider mass transportation and personal mobility sectors.”

The three other pillars covered previously in this series are Platforms, Control Systems and Dynamics.

The partnership with British Cycling is just one example of Lotus Engineering’s collaborations, most of which remain confidential at clients’ request. The consultancy’s involvement with two-wheelers has already included co-development of the track bike for the Tokyo Olympics 2020, which eventually took place in 2021 due to Covid-19. However, it stretches back to the early Nineties and the Lotus Type 108 – the LotusSport Pursuit Bicycle – a revolutionary concept that showcased a ground-breaking monocoque design, advanced carbon composite construction, and, with its aerofoil cross-section, a pioneering approach to aerodynamics.

Just like cars, bikes can benefit from the application of mechanical efficiency and the Type 108 helped British rider Chris Boardman rewrite the track cycling history books and win gold at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. Its success sparked the genesis of the Lotus Type 110, a time trial bike boasting many of the same innovations. Again, the cycling world had seen nothing like it and Boardman won the Prologue time trial in the 1994 Tour de France.

Then, as now, development work is focused on core Lotus values – a pioneering approach to light-weighting, advanced materials and optimised aerodynamics. So what has changed in the three decades since the Type 108? Certainly not the physics, but the understanding of the science had moved on. As Richard Hill, Chief Aerodynamicist for Lotus, commented: “Back then, it was simply about developing an aerodynamic bike that would go fast. But really there are two separate elements – the bike and the rider – which come together as one to move through the air. That was the approach we took with the Tokyo bike and is continuing for Paris 2024.”

Beyond the technical, Lotus Engineering regularly calls on the Lotus Design team as an integral part of its service offering. The latter – based at Hethel, Norfolk, since it was established in 1985 – has developed several other two-wheeled projects including motorcycles and scooters.

Barney Hatt, Head of Advance and Consultancy Design, who has previously worked on client programmes such as the Tesla Roadster, commented: “Our objective is to design compelling and commercially successful world-class products that are beautiful, visually innovative and that reflect the client’s core values, meet the budget targets and satisfy the end user’s functional requirements.”

During more than three decades of work, Russell Carr, Director of Design at Lotus, has been involved in numerous consultancy projects: He added: “We’re able to apply the experience we have gained in automotive to other forms of mobility. Whilst aesthetics is crucial to the success of a product, we are co-located with our renowned engineering team, meaning we work hand-in-glove to strike the perfect balance of form and function which is integral to product design with engineering integrity.”

The design studio at Hethel is a contemporary and purpose-built facility which, like other areas on site, has received considerable investment in recent years. The Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality (VR/AR) suite and 3D printing equipment is state-of-the-art, as is the milling studio, which has been upgraded to a 12-metre bed plate, plus 2 x five-axis milling capability with Kolb Studioline M masts and bespoke extraction system. Photometric scanning fully supports the design process with large format and portable optical scanners.

Hethel is also home to three secure studios with integrated surface plates and workspace for designers, digital modellers and studio engineers. A secure presentation room with a four-metre screen is also part of the facilities.

Russell explained: “The implementation of these upgrades at Hethel has fundamentally changed how we work and how we communicate with clients. The VR/AR suite and online data reviews give us an increased global reach, offering the client the opportunity to review 3D digital models from anywhere in the world, either on screen or through immersive headsets.”

While the artisan skill of manually sculpting designs in clay is still very much within Lotus Design’s capability and process, it is enhanced by the automated milling of models and 3D printing of components using the very same data that is reviewed in the virtual world.

“This seamless interaction of multiple mediums allows for more iterations and more life-like representations, which gives greater reassurance to the client and ultimately facilitates the best possible outcome.” 

The Lotus Emira has been named Best Performance Car at the ‘UK Car of the Year’ awards 2023.

Now into its sixth year, the UKCOTY is wholly independent and designed to advise UK customers about the best new cars on the market. It is judged by almost 30 professional journalists who cover the whole automotive industry, including some of the most respected names from national newspapers, magazines, TV and online.

Comments from the judges included:

- “It’s great to have Lotus back producing cars that put a big smile on your face – and with a huge step-up in interior quality.” – Paul   Barker, Carwow 

- “As Lotus’ last-ever petrol car, the Emira two-seater sports car had to visually ‘go out with a bang’. Inside, the Emira’s cabin is one of   its most well-appointed and comfortable ever to wear a Lotus badge. All in all, big bang achieved.” – Guy Bird, freelance journalist

- “What a return to form! Rapid yet enjoyable at lower speeds,  a ride/handling balance that defies belief and exotica looks despite   being cheaper than its Italian rivals.” – Keith Jones, CAR magazine and Parkers Car Guide

Russell Carr, Director of Design, Lotus Cars, led the Emira design team and said: “It is a great honour for the whole team at Lotus to receive this award for the Emira, and from such respected and knowledgeable judges.”

He added: “This award is also an appreciation and acknowledgement for all at Lotus Cars, from the engineering and development teams, those in manufacturing and quality and in sales and marketing, who have worked to take this now multi-award-winning sports car from concept to production and record sales.”

The Emira now goes forward for the overall UK Car of the Year title, to be announced next month.

Powered by either a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder or a 3.5-litre supercharged V6 engine through a manual, automatic or Dual Clutch Transmission, the Emira delivers breath-taking performance and class-leading ride and handling. It is a junior supercar with everyday usability, beautifully balanced with excellent steering weight. Delivering a shift in practicality, comfort, functionality and technology, it is a true Lotus – nimble, mid-engined, exotic looking and competitively priced. It is the most accomplished Lotus road car ever to come out of the Hethel factory gates.

Lotus and British Cycling have confirmed they will continue their hugely successful collaboration in the world of elite track cycling, and are developing the bike that home-nation athletes will use at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

It will be based on the innovative Hope / Lotus track bike created for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. A global audience of billions of sports fans watched riders from the Great Britain Cycling Team (GBCT) win seven medals at the Games on the bike. The haul – which included three gold medals – put Great Britain at the top of the Games’ track cycling medal table.

Lotus and British Cycling have released a short film to celebrate the announcement they are continuing to work together on a track bike for the Paris Olympic Games, which start on 26 July 2024. Development work – which is overseen by Lotus Engineering, the consultancy division of the business – is already well-advanced, though remains confidential until closer to the Games.

As with the Tokyo bike, its successor will focus on the core values of all Lotus products, including a pioneering spirit, optimised aerodynamics, high performance, advanced lightweight materials and world-class manufacturing.

Matt Windle, Group Vice-President and Managing Director, Lotus Cars, said: “We are thrilled to be continuing this unique and successful partnership with British Cycling. Being involved in the development of such a high-performance machine, and having GBCT athletes win so many medals riding it on a global sporting stage like the Olympics, is fantastic as we transform the Lotus brand.”

Lotus is transforming from a UK sports car company to a global performance business and brand. The journey is guided by Vision80, a comprehensive strategy which defines what Lotus will be in 2028, when it celebrates its 80th anniversary.

Stephen Park CBE, Great Britain Cycling Team Performance Director, said: “Over the last Olympic cycle we have developed a fantastic relationship with Lotus, combining their expertise with our in-house team, constantly striving to find the most innovative solutions to give our track riders the best possible chance when the get to the start line.

He added: “Having brought back seven track medals from Tokyo, we are excited to see what we can go on to achieve together as we work towards further refining our bike, which is just one part of the world-class support we are able to offer our riders as we set our sights on Paris 2024.”

The new film features a number of GBCT athletes and coaches explaining why they #lovemybike. It is part of British Cycling’s ongoing #cyclinglove campaign to celebrate all the things to enjoy about life on two wheels.

Featured riders include Joe Truman, GBCT men’s podium sprinter, who said: “When I first saw the bike, I knew it was something special. Since I’ve been riding it, it has helped me win a silver medal at both the 2022 Commonwealth Games and 2023 UEC European Championships, and is now helping me qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games.”

Jess Roberts, GBCT women’s podium endurance rider, added: “I love my bike because it makes me feel strong and empowered. Every training session it gives me a little extra boost that I get to ride such a special bike. I’m chasing my dreams on a bike that rides like a dream.”

Lotus has a highly successful history in cycling through its Lotus Engineering division. In the Nineties, Lotus was instrumental in the design and development of LotusSport bikes, including for cycling legend Chris Boardman at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. Riding the iconic Lotus Type 108, he won gold in the Men’s Pursuit and followed it up in the 1994 Tour de France – riding the Type 110 – winning the Prologue time trial to take the famous yellow jersey.

The all-new Lotus Eletre hyper-SUV has claimed victory in GQ magazine’s Car Of The Year awards, winning the prestigious ‘SUV Of The Year’ title. Selected annually by GQ’s panel of design, lifestyle and automotive experts, the awards honour vehicles from a diverse range of categories which are ‘inspiring, interesting, have automotive integrity and get the pulse racing.’

As both the first SUV and the first production EV in Lotus’ 75-year history, the Eletre marks the start of an exciting and electrified new chapter for the business and brand. Its newcomer status proved no hindrance in a crowded field of contenders, with the Eletre seeing off stiff competition from many of the world’s well-established SUV manufacturers.

In summarising the Eletre’s winning traits, the GQ judges concluded: "The premium electric SUV sector is filling up faster than you can say ‘recession-proof’ with all the automotive big beasts vying for attention, but none have grabbed our attention like Lotus.”

Ben Payne, Chief Creative Officer, Lotus, said: “From the very first discussions about what the Eletre should be, our vision was to deliver a unique and highly desirable car that would demonstrate to the world what the EV future of Lotus would stand for. As an SUV, it will bring a completely new audience to the brand – a lifestyle customer. To be recognised for that by GQ, a globally renowned lifestyle publication, is a great honour.”

The all-new, all-electric SUV is set to hit roads later this year, with thousands of customers around the world having already placed their deposits to secure a car. Three different versions are available – Eletre, Eletre S and Eletre R – with a choice of two powertrains.

Eletre and Eletre S both feature a 603hp (450kw) single-speed unit producing 710Nm of torque to deliver a 0-62mph time of 4.5 seconds and a maximum range of 373 miles. The flagship Eletre R comes equipped with a 905hp (675kw) dual-speed set-up boasting 985Nm for 0-62mph in just 2.95 seconds, making it the world’s fastest pure electric dual-motor SUV. Maximum range for this performance-oriented variant is 304 miles, while the 112kWh battery found in all versions can be charged (10%-80%) in just 20 minutes using a rapid charger.

Inside, the Eletre’s premium cabin sets a new standard of desirability for Lotus interiors. The Eletre comes with 12-way electrically adjustable front seats, four-zone automatic climate control, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, wireless phone charging and much more. Its advanced ‘digital cockpit’ features server-level computing power, enabling a billion-colour OLED touchscreen to display the cutting-edge Lotus Hyper OS for next-generation real-time 3D content.

Immersion is further enhanced by a 15-speaker KEF Premium Audio system. Customers can upgrade to KEF Reference, a 2,160-watt 23-speaker system with Uni-Q and 3D surround sound technology. KEF Reference also features Uni-Core, a pioneering new approach to speaker and subwoofer design, and the Eletre marks its debut in the automotive world.

The Eletre also comes with renowned immersive audio experience Dolby Atmos, a new way to enjoy music that takes listening to new heights through unparalleled depth, precision and clarity. Together, Dolby Atmos and the Eletre’s KEF speaker system combine to elevate music listening to new levels. Driver and passengers will feel like they’re sitting in the middle of the recording studio alongside the artist. The Eletre is the world’s first car to combine Dolby Atmos and KEF Audio.

In the UK the Eletre is priced from £89,500, with a standard spec including five drive modes, active air suspension, torque vectoring, matrix LED headlights, active front grille and 10-spoke 22-inch forged wheels.

Group Lotus has appointed Mike Johnstone as Vice-President, Commercial, to lead the company’s global commercial operations.

Mike’s appointment marks the beginning of a new era in the transformation of the Lotus brand, as the company continues the rapid expansion of its model range, grows its international footprint and aims to reach 100,000+ sales by 2028 when the company marks its 80th year.

Bringing together the existing Sales, Aftersales, Brand and PR functions into a newly formed global commercial division under Mike’s leadership, his team will be responsible for all product lines across all territories.

Mike joins Group Lotus from Volvo Cars where he most recently led the global marketing team in Gothenburg, Sweden. Prior to Volvo Cars, Mike held various sales and marketing roles at major brands including Harley-Davidson and Kawasaki Motors.

Working closely with the Group’s other Vice-Presidents, including Matt Windle (Group VP and Managing Director, Lotus Cars), Mike will report directly to Mr Feng Qingfeng, Group CEO, under the Group Lotus umbrella and according to the company principle of ‘Born British, Raised Globally’.

Mike’s appointment is effective immediately and he will be based in London.

Lotus has announced the appointment of Matthew Hill as Head of Interior Design at the Lotus Tech Creative Centre (LTCC) in Coventry, UK.

Matthew’s promotion comes after two years with the LTCC interiors team, where he was responsible for delivering the acclaimed interior of the all-new Lotus Eletre Hyper-SUV.

The LTCC studio – led by Ben Payne, Chief Creative Officer – continues to take the lead on creating the exciting range of all-new, all-electric lifestyle cars at Lotus. It works in close collaboration with the sports car design team at Hethel, led by Russell Carr, Design Director.

At LTCC Matthew strengthens an ever-growing international creative team, where diverse minds come together to design Lotus’ all-electric lifestyle vehicle range and continue to influence world-class creativity and innovation across Group Lotus.

Before re-joining Lotus in 2020, Matthew held design leadership roles at Aston Martin and Ford Advanced, bringing a wealth of creative experience from some of the world’s most recognised premium brands.

Matthew commented: ‘’Having started my career at Lotus in the late 1990s it feels great to be back. The brand’s investment and commitment to innovation is relentless, and it’s a hugely exciting time to be involved as we move to an all-electric future.”

Ben Payne added: “Matthew has a great balance of production experience and a creative mindset. His appointment will help us to continue to move the brand forwards. Matthew has already been instrumental in the creation of the Eletre interior, which is one of the most progressive design statements in the market. We can’t wait for the world to see the exciting projects we create next.”

In 1948 a passionate young British designer and engineer called Colin Chapman built his first car, a modified Austin 7. Work was carried out in his spare time in the lock-up garage belonging to his girlfriend Hazel’s parents, behind their house in Hornsey, London. He called his car the Mark I and entered it into local trials. Different models followed, each an improvement on the one before, and within four years it became a business that he and Hazel called Lotus.

In 2023 – exactly 75 years later – Lotus will be celebrating this significant milestone with a number of exciting global events and initiatives. They will look back over seven and a half decades of innovation and success which have unquestionably helped shape the motoring and motorsport landscapes of today, and which have created some of the world’s most renowned and loved cars.

Celebrations will also look forward to what the fourth quarter of the company’s first century will look like, as Lotus continues its transformation from a UK sports car company to a global performance car business and brand.

To launch this very special year before it begins, Lotus has unveiled distinctive and striking 75th anniversary branding that will be seen in multiple environments over the next 12 months.

Matt Windle, Group Vice-President and Managing Director of Lotus Cars, commented: “Lotus of 2023 is a world away from a garage in north London, thanks to the billions being invested in our company on product development, an electrified future and more. We’ve come a long way since moving to our iconic home in Norfolk in 1966. Today we have engineering facilities in the UK, Germany and China; design studios in Hethel, Coventry and Shanghai; and new world-class manufacturing bases in Norfolk and China. It’s at the last of these that assembly of the first Lotus lifestyle car – the Eletre Hyper-SUV – begins later this month.”

He added: “The pioneering spirit and commitment of Colin and Hazel Chapman is alive and kicking in Lotus today, and we will be celebrating our 75th anniversary in style – paying tribute to the past and looking ahead to the future as we approach our first century.”

Just in time for Christmas, one of the UK’s best-known track experience days – the Lotus Driving Academy (LDA) – has announced its diary for the first half of 2023. The chance to drive the thrilling Emira sports car on the iconic Lotus test track is the perfect festive gift for any petrolhead.

LDA sessions run on a Thursday, Friday and Saturday two weeks out of every four, using the iconic 2.2-mile circuit at Hethel, the home of Lotus since 1966. The booking platform is now live at https://experience.lotuscars.com and tours of the Hethel factory are available through the same link.

New for 2023 is a revamped structure, with the LDA now offering four distinct courses rather than three. All courses begin with a comprehensive safety briefing from the expert Academy instructors. Offering something for everyone, the four courses are as follows:

A Taste of Lotus – guests have a five-minute circuit familiarisation with an Academy instructor before sliding behind the Emira’s steering wheel themselves. They’re guided from the passenger seat by the instructor for 2 x 10-minute sessions on the full Hethel test track. This course is aimed at those who want to experience or gift the chance to drive a Lotus Emira in a truly iconic location.

Dynamic Emira – new for 2023, this half-day experience allows guests to compare both the Touring and Sports suspension set-ups of the Emira in a back-to-back comparison. The course includes 4 x 10-minute sessions on the south test track, with the instructor assisting guests to identify the vehicle characteristics previously discussed. Time between driving sessions is filled with a visit to the Chapman Production Centre, where the Emira is built, for a tour of the sub-assembly area to see how the car’s suspension is put together.

Introduction to Sports Cars – a full-day programme, guests will have 2 x 20 minutes of driving with a Academy instructor, understanding basic sports car control and the Emira’s different drive modes. That’s followed by a guided Hethel site tour, which includes access to the Chapman Production Centre where the Emira is built. Guests will also see other parts of the Lotus facility which have benefited from a £100million upgrade as part of the transformation of Lotus into a global performance car brand. The day is completed with a tour of Classic Team Lotus, just across the road from the main Lotus site, to see its unique collection of historic Lotus race cars.

Tailor-Made Advanced – with a 3-to-1 ratio of guests to instructors, this tailored course will help drivers achieve their personal goals through the use of skills training including slalom, oversteer and understeer activities. The course runs over a full day, allowing guests time to learn, practise and master their new skills. 

The LDA is delivered by Lotus Advanced Performance, the bespoke vehicle and experiential division of the business launched earlier this year. Stewart Croucher, Manager, Motorsport and Drive Programmes, Lotus, said: “Relaunching the Lotus Driving Academy earlier this year has been a great success with hundreds of happy customers thrilled to experience the amazing dynamics of the Emira sports car.”

He added: “Opening up the 2023 diary gives us the chance to restructure what we offer, adding one extra package for even greater choice. There is something for everyone, whether you’ve never driven a sports car before or you’re an experienced racer looking to improve your lap times. And we can now include the Hethel factory and Classic Team Lotus tours as the icing on the cake of a great day out.”

LDA prices are £199 for A Taste of Lotus; £450 for Dynamic Emira; £699 for Introduction to Sports Cars: and £960 for Tailor-Made Advanced. Book now at https://experience.lotuscars.com

This is just the start for the LDA. The Hethel courses are the first step of a three-year growth plan that will see the current USA Lotus experience centres – in Utah, Georgia and Arizona – become full LDA operations. The existing LDA in Italy, in Pavia, just south of Milan, will also relaunch with an Emira fleet. In addition, two all-new LDA teams will open in all-new locations. More details will follow closer to launch.

Customer collections of the Lotus Emira from the Hethel factory where it’s built have now begun. The first recipient, Shaan Kodituwakku, travelled from his home in Edinburgh to pick up his V6 First Edition finished in stunning Hethel Yellow.

Factory Collection is an option for all Emira customers in the UK, and can be specified during the online ‘check-out’ process which completes their purchase through the Lotus Drive platform. It includes a fascinating tour of the Chapman Production Centre – the new assembly halls created as part of a £100m overhaul of Lotus’ UK facilities, and the home of the Emira. The walkaround delivers unparalleled access to the manufacture and hands-on assembly of the car, offering a true ‘up close and personal’ factory floor experience.

The tour is followed by the reveal of the customer’s new vehicle, plus a comprehensive handover workshop where the Emira’s numerous features and technologies are fully demonstrated. The finishing touch is the presentation of a framed image of their Emira as a souvenir of the day.

Shaan commented: “Factory Collection seemed like by far the best option to choose but I never for a second thought I would be the first to do it. When I arrived at Hethel I was greeted by a super-friendly security guard who knew my name, knew I was picking up an Emira and congratulated me! That was such a great feeling and worth the 4am start to fly down from Edinburgh.”

He added: “At the ‘moment of reveal’ of the car I was so excited, and it looked better than the photos and videos have shown and I was blown away. It and Lotus have exceeded my expectations. Overall, this is one very happy customer.”

Shaan was also impressed with the online check-out via Lotus Drive, calling it a seamless and easy process to follow. “It was clear what each stage was, what was required of me, and what the options were,” he explained.

Scott Walker, Head of Hethel Retail Operations, said: “Hethel has been the home of Lotus since 1966 and is unquestionably a ‘must-visit’ destination for many of our Emira customers. Factory Collection is already proving incredibly popular, and it’s thrilling for the team to be able to share this wonderful moment with people who are so genuinely excited to be visiting our spiritual home.”

He added: “Some guests have been to Hethel before, others are new to the Lotus brand and so have never been, but all leave hugely impressed with the site, the passion of the people, and the transition of Lotus from a UK sports car company to a global performance car business and brand.”

As well as Factory Collection, Emira customers can have their car delivered to their home or a convenient Lotus Centre.

Emira demonstrator drives are now available through Lotus Centres across the UK. Whilst demand has been extremely high, everybody wishing to experience an Emira will get the opportunity.