Four all-new platforms to underpin Lotus' future
Emira sports car and Evija hypercar to be joined by at least one SUV, plus a new pure-electric sports carLotus has released detailed plans that reveal how it will underpin its future on four new vehicle architectures to transition from small-volume car-maker to a genuine rival to sports car-makers like Porsche.
Unveiling its plans to the world's media overnight as part of its 'Driving Tomorrow' presentation, Lotus also confirmed the name of its long-awaited new Elise, Exige and Evora replacement – the Lotus Emira.
Significantly, under Geely ownership, Lotus will not have to resort to using existing platforms currently used by Volvo, Lynk & Co and Geely itself.
Instead, it has been allowed to develop all-new architectures that will provide the basis for its future line-up.
The first is the Elemental platform upon which the all-new 2021 Lotus Emira will be based.
Made of extruded aluminium, engineers claim the new underpinnings are both flexible and lightweight, and are a massive step forward technically over the current bonded and extruded tub.
The next hypercar platform has already been partially revealed. Dubbed Extreme, this new architecture will underpin the all-new battery-electric Lotus Evija.
The third, and perhaps most crucial, platform is Lotus' Evolution architecture that will underpin a "range of lifestyle" vehicles likely to include SUVs.
This will give the car-maker the volumes it needs to be sustainable.
Claimed to have been supported by other car-makers within the Geely Group, the Evolution platform is said to have been "defined" and "designed" in the UK but doesn't claim complete ownership of it, suggesting it will be shared with its engineering partners.
It's also thought the new platform has been created for pure-electric powertrains.
Finally, the fourth platform is known internally as the E-Sports architecture. Developed with Group Renault's Alpine, the lightweight structure will spin-off a Lotus and Alpine sports car and be offered to other car-makers.
Designed to be flexible and modular, engineers says the new E-Sports platform will offer class-leading handling and ride that will be combined with "explosive" performance.
Following the launch of the Lotus Emira in late 2021, Lotus has confirmed that every model thereafter will be pure-electric.
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
If the price does not contain the notation that it is "Drive Away", the price may not include additional costs, such as stamp duty and other government charges.
