Lotus, a British sports and race car manufacturer has announced they will no longer develop internal combustion engine vehicles.
Instead the company, which has been around since 1948, will focus their efforts on developing all-electric vehicles (EVs).
Speaking to Auto Express UK, Lotus CEO Phil Popham says the future is electric, and hopes to deliver the first Lotus EV before the end of 2022.
“One thing we do believe in is the future of battery electric vehicles, and our intention is to offer BEV on our products in future. BEV is really well suited to sports cars – the torque characteristics, the weight distribution, design and flexibility of dynamics. For me it all leads to BEV as the ultimate technology for sports cars.”
Unlike other manufacturers which develop hybrid technology (Porsche, BMW, etc.) before making the leap to electric, Popham is a firm believer that by going electric, they are staying true to what a sports car should be.
“You want to minimise weight and maximise performance and spread weight in the right places to get the right dynamics. So hybrids do present a challenge.“
Once they do start making EVs, Lotus will expand its product line to offer more than just sports cars, but also sedans, grand touring (GT) vehicles, and maybe one day SUVs.
Here are some concept images of what a future Lotus EV may look like.
