All-electric Lotus Evija world's most powerful production hypercar – for £1.7m plus tax
THE first fully electric British hypercar, the all-new Lotus Evija, has been revealed with unparalleled performance, a target power output of 2,000PS – and range of 250 miles.
Quite simply the Lotus Evija is the most powerful series production road car ever built, setting new standards in terms of advanced electric vehicle (EV) engineering.
Marking the start of a new chapter for resurgent Lotus, as its first hypercar, the company’s first model with an electrified powertrain and as the first completely new car to be launched under the stewardship of Geely – the world’s fastest growing automotive group which also owns Volvo and Polestar.
At the heart of the Evija is an ultra-advanced all-electric powertrain developed with technical partner Williams Advanced Engineering, famed for success in motorsport, from Formula One to electrifying the first four seasons of Formula E.
The battery pack is mid-mounted immediately behind the two seats and supplies energy directly to four powerful e-motors. This highly efficient system is the lightest, most energy dense, electric power package ever fitted to a road car.
With a target weight of just 1,680 kg, it will be the lightest pure electric hypercar ever to go into series production.
Engineered for precise and sustained performance, the Evija has five driving modes – Range, City, Tour, Sport and Track. It can race from 0-62mph in under three seconds and accelerate to a top speed of more than 200mph. And the predicted all-electric range is 250 miles.
It does not come cheap, at £1.7m plus taxes and duties – order books are open for the 130 cars being produced with £250,000 deposit securing a production slot through www.lotuscars.com.
In an interesting twist of automotive history, Lotus played a key role in the beginning of EV industry leader Tesla – back in 2008 the Tesla Roadster battery electric vehicle (BEV) sports car was based on the Lotus Elise chassis.
Like all Lotus cars throughout the brand’s storied 71-year history, the Evija has been precision engineered to deliver an outstanding driving experience both on road and track. It is the most dynamically accomplished model ever built by the company, setting new standards for Lotus driving performance.
As a name, Evija (pronounced ‘E-vi-ya’) means ‘the first in existence’ or ‘the living one’. It is highly appropriate; Lotus has an unquestionable reputation for its pioneering approach in both automotive and motorsport.
Exclusivity and desirability go hand in hand in the world of hypercars, and the Evija is blessed with an abundance of both. The production limit of 130 is a figure set in tribute to the car’s project code, Type 130. Lotus road and race cars throughout the brand’s seven decades of success have been assigned a Type number, and the Evija is no exception.
Hethel, near the historic city of Norwich, has been the home of Lotus since 1966. The company has confirmed production of the Evija will begin there next year.
As well as tempting the world’s hypercar buyers, the car will act as a halo for the rest of the Lotus range – the renowned Elise, Exige and Evora. It will do the same for a range of eagerly anticipated new Lotus performance models to come.
Speaking at the unveiling in London, Lotus Cars CEO Phil Popham said: “The Lotus Evija is a car like no other. It will re-establish our brand in the hearts and minds of sports car fans and on the global automotive stage. It will also pave the way for further visionary models.”
He added: “This is another amazing moment in the history of our company. The Evija is a true Lotus in every sense – it has been developed with an unwavering passion to push boundaries, to explore new ways of thinking and to apply ground-breaking technologies.”
A stunning piece of contemporary automotive design, the Evija features a dramatic venturi tunnel through each rear quarter, giving it a truly breath-taking presence.
Russell Carr, Lotus Cars design director, said: “We studied how Le Mans race cars use air flow creatively to go over, under and around the vehicle, but also through it. This concept of ‘porosity’ is key to the Evija and has enabled us to create a timeless design with exceptional amounts of downforce.”
The Evija signals the start of a contemporary new design language for Lotus, which will evolve and reappear on future high-performance cars.
Illustrative of the innovative thinking and ingenuity which has always been part of the Lotus DNA, the Evija is a technical tour de force. It continues the legendary Lotus bloodline that’s rich in firsts and technical game-changers, both in the automotive and motorsport sectors.
While it is a glimpse of the future from Lotus, it remains true to the company’s DNA and the guiding principles of founder Colin Chapman, who built the first Lotus in 1948.
The Evija is the first Lotus road car to feature a one-piece carbon fibre monocoque chassis. The cabin, from the fully adjustable race-style seats to the multi-function steering wheel, is the very pinnacle of motorsport-inspired road car design and technology.
Matt Windle, Lotus’s executive director of sports car engineering, said: “Every element of the Evija has been meticulously analysed and validated. Precision engineering is nothing without human engagement, and that’s why technology with soul is the benchmark for this and every Lotus.”
