Lotus takes its world-beater on tour

The sports car manufacturer is heading for a comeback with the world’s first all-electric British hypercar

Could the Evija be proper competition to the likes of a Porsche? (Photography by Lotus Cars)

Lotus may have slipped a bit in recent years, but the brand’s acquisition by Chinese giant Geely in 2017, meaning a huge injection of billions of pounds of fresh investment, is beginning to show some potentially impressive results.

Here, for example, is a first look at the forthcoming Lotus Evija – the world’s first all-electric British hypercar, which is to make to make its North American debut next week.

Success in the US will be essential to underpin Geely’s ambitions for a new generation of sports cars and SUVs. The ambition is to move Lotus into proper competition with the likes of Porsche.

The Evija is scheduled to star at The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering and the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, two of the stand-out events of the season for the well-heeled car collector.

With a target output of 2000 horsepower (PS), Evija is the world’s most powerful series-production road car. By comparison, a McLaren P1 boasts 960 horsepower (PS) and a VW Golf GTI some 200, on the same basis.

Lotus, therefore, seems ready to benefit from the Chinese auto industry’s expertise and extensive economies of scale in the engineering and manufacture of pure electric battery-powered vehicles.

If the usual conventions apply, the new car should have astonishing acceleration from rest.

The company says it is the most powerful and dynamically accomplished road car in the history of Lotus, and sets a new standard for Lotus driving performance.

Just 130 Evijas will be made (Lotus Cars)

In a much-needed boost for the British car industry, the intention is that the Evija will be produced at Hethel, in Norfolk, the home of Lotus since 1966.

Exclusivity is guaranteed, with production limited to a maximum of 130 cars. It should be good for more than 200mph, and for a range of about 250 miles. If so, then it will steal a march on some of the industry’s biggest and most storied names.

The Evija is scheduled to appear at The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering on 16 August and on 18 August at Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

The Evija should have astonishing acceleration from rest (Lotus Cars)

Russell Carr, design director at Lotus Cars, says: “I’m expecting the Lotus Evija to be a huge draw at both locations. They’re famous for playing host to some of the world’s most rare and beautiful cars, so the Evija will be perfectly at home.”

Like Porsche, Jaguar, Lamborghini, Bentley and planned models from Ferrari and Aston Martin, Lotus will also produce a high-end luxury performance SUV, this time relying more heavily on input from Geely and to be produced in one of the group’s plants in China.

Production could start in 2021, at a rate of 150,000 vehicles annually. That number includes internal combustion-engined versions as well as electric versions. Lotus sold 1,630 units in all in 2018.

The Evija will have a range of about 250 miles (Lotus Cars)

Geely is moving at some pace in developing new models and brands in its various subsidiaries. It has almost completely renewed the Volvo range, is about to launch the Polestar marque as an electric performance spin-off from Volvo, and is developing Lynk & Co as a new concept in car-sharing and mobility.