Electric cars, SUVs and massive increases in scale won’t distract Lotus from its legacy

If you’ve never driven a car made by Lotus, you’re not alone – they’re always a small manufacturer, and even spotting a car in public is a rarity – but you something is missing. Their uncanny beauty is further outweighed by their dedication to connecting man with machine to the road surface above all else.

But like every other automaker these days, big changes are taking place. Yes, Lotus is running on electricity. But it also got big, and in many ways. We recently sat down with Lotus Philippines Group Vice President and CEO Matt Windle and Chief Brand Officer James Andrew to discuss how the renowned brand would perform a service to its past by way of showing its signs into the future.

Representing Autofun Philippines, we’ve seen the Lotus Evija (previously known by its internal codename the Type 130), a low-volume all-electric supercar that represents the small carmaker’s first big step towards electrics. gasification. With 1,500 kilowatts (about 2,000 hp) coming from four electric motors, you can forget about 0-60; it will run 0-186 miles per hour in 9.1 seconds. 

It starts at over $2 million and production will be limited to 130 pieces. Flashy numbers to make sense, before growing in scale and production volume. Next up will be the Lotus Eletre (formerly the Type 132), an electric SUV that represents the (now) small carmaker’s desire to cater to all lifestyles rather than being dominated by its followers. pure meaning and deceitful Luddite. To achieve mass production, Lotus had to be a truly global company and had to make cars that more customers could use and at prices they could afford.

And while an SUV isn’t what we usually see from Lotus, we probably shouldn’t be surprised – and not just because apparently every other exclusive, premium brand is now offering an SUV. or so soon. James Andrew reminds us that appreciation is always there, and Lotus founder Colin Chapman has two office parking spots:

One for his Lotus Esprit and the other for the Range Rover he usually drives to work. Don’t expect a crawling luxury all-terrain vehicle to wear a Lotus badge. Gentlemen assure us that the focus of the brand remains on performance.

And a key part of that performance is driving dynamics that connect the driver to the vehicle. Some of the benefits of electric vehicles’ are flexibility in powertrain packaging or the lack of exhaust systems and necessary thermal protection. That means that the company’s electric vehicles can keep the same front-cabin layout. and hub motor. Ride and handling remain the focus, along with balanced weight distribution. 

Aerodynamics continues to be an important part of the formula – otherwise, it wouldn’t be Lotus. Windle tells us that the Evija uses a Venturi tunnel to reduce drag – “air goes through the car easier than the air passes through the car” – and the Eletre has a collapsible grille “like a work of art”. Finally, a familiar design element that Lotus calls the “Becker angle”. It is named after Roger Becker, Lotus’ longtime vehicle engineering director. It allows the driver to see outside corners to assist in correct car booking. 

Eco-friendly materials are in line with the brand’s focus on performance, luxury and durability. Recyclable and natural materials such as wool blends not only help give credit to the brand’s environmental practices but also help save about 50% in weight compared to traditional leather interiors. Like many other brands, Lotus will also offer a variety of pet-free interiors. Another Lotus green hat is simply how many of its cars are still on the road: 75%. 

Lotus notes that this is bound to change as its scale grows, but it is also finding second-generation uses as the products’ new stable of batteries take off the road. Lotus is also making technological advancements to go along with a new focus on electrification. For example, the Eletre will come fitted with a trunk lid and be ready for Level 4 autonomous driving. 

Windle says it’s kind of a “balancing act” to provide such high-level driver assistance along with the experience. Dynamic focus on the driver. But even the new set will tip its hat to the old one. The Eletre’s bonnet, for example, will elongate and retract into the fenders, like the Lotus Esprit’s headlights protruding from the hood.

As a traditional small brand, Lotus intends to maintain this personal relationship with its customers and fans. Lotus prides itself on the fact that its employees “always take our place” at motor events and exhibitions. 

When we spoke to them just before the Detroit Auto Show. Windle and Andrew were preparing to head to West Virginia for a meeting with Lotus owners. Lotus will continue to go to smaller venues to connect personally with the audience. You’ll also find them at events like Goodwood. And Lotus Philippines is promising big things for next year’s Monterey and Quat events. 

The Lotus Emira will be the last internal combustion model produced for the brand. But that doesn’t mean Lotus is made of petrol cars. Because their Lotus Advanced Performance (LAP) division will develop and supply ICE vehicles in limited quantities. 

In addition to custom and racing cars, the company will also create high-quality limited editions. And it creates “extremely exclusive” halo cars, both electric and gas-powered. Don’t expect Lotus’ hydrogen fuel cell cars in the future, though.

Aside from the Emira in 2023 and the Evija and Eletre in 2024, some Lotus machines will be even more affordable. Eletre starts in the $100,000 range. The Model 134, is the internal designation for a D-segment SUV due out in 2025 or 2026. It will go even lower, but we’ve been told not to expect Lotus’ prices to drop too deeply. The Type 135 sports car will debut in 26 or 27. And, thanks to what is certainly a great exercise in design and engineering, it will be about the same size and weight as the Emira. We can’t wait to see this.

However, Lotus Philippines is ambitious that it sets a goal for the production of 2027, a total of 100 thousand. And, it seems a great target as it is compared with the sales record in the previous year of only 1,700. Of these futuristic vehicles, Lotus expects about 10% to be sports cars, while lifestyle cars will make up the majority of the rest. 

Of course, the transformation into a much larger automaker requires global moves. That includes manufacturing in China, the home country of Lotus’ majority owner since 2017, Geely. This is where lifestyle cars like the Eletre are assembled, while British manufacturer Lotus will be responsible for producing its sports cars. Lotus will also increase its dealer presence worldwide. It includes about 10 more dealers per year in North America. While also focusing more on Latin America.

Indeed, Lotus Philippines will soon look like a very different brand than it once was. But not completely unknown. A lot changes, of course, are with growth in size and scale. And the adoption of new technologies, powertrains and other things. However, Lotus cares enough about its rich history and hard-earned reputation to keep its current owners and loyal fans happy. They will also have several thousand new ones.