Electric cars are looking more and more like the future of four-wheel motoring, with seemingly every automaker working on electric vehicle technology. Lotus has yet to produce an electric vehicle itself, but companies like Tesla and Chrysler have proven that Lotus platforms are ideal for electric vehicles. However, the small sports car maker won’t be sitting on the sidelines much longer as it is currently developing its own electric vehicle technology.
Lotus CEO Michael Kimberley revealed to the Financial Times that his company is working on EV technology and that the market should “not be surprised to see an electric Lotus shortly”. Lotus has already dropped about $88 million to improve the green credentials of its model lineup.
However, unlike the Tesla Roadster and Dodge EV, Lotus’ electric car will not be a pure EV. Instead, the new model will take the form of a range extended electric vehicle, much like Chevrolet’s upcoming Volt.
Lotus’s EV will use a small gasoline engine to recharge the car’s onboard battery packs, giving the vehicle a total range between 300 and 400 miles. No pure electric range figures have been released as of yet, but the Volt is expected to travel 40 miles on all-electric power, so it wouldn’t be shocking to see a similar number from the Lotus model.
Building a range extended electric vehicle is no easy task, which is why Lotus has partnered with a major automaker for the project. However, Lotus’ partner in the deal has yet to be named.
No word on a timeframe for the launch of the new Lotus-badged EV, but we suspect the new EV will hit the market early next decade.
01/02, 10:21 AM
posted by:
yarddog82abn
Why don’t they just buy out Telsa?????
01/02, 10:50 AM
posted by:
Bankruptcy2009
Hey Better how about not. yarddog82abn This car company’s buying other car companies crap is part of what got out economy out of wack and it did’nt help Ford, GM, Mercedes Benz that aquired other companies. And to do what. say there bigger. Steal Ideas yes and then have an EXCUSE for not coming up with Good Green Ideas ALL THEIR OWN. None of this I borrow this and that idea or worse steal it, because now this one owns that.
The Upshot of the whole thing is that these Companies lost Billions after shedding other companies and for what. TO Pilfer a few ideas on safety or engine technology that was not theirs to begin with.
No Tesla is fine on its own. And Lotus is fine on its own ok.
01/02, 1:23 PM
posted by:
mikemacnn
let us just be positive and see Lotus producing best ever EV cars in coming 2 years.
01/02, 3:14 PM
posted by:
Mutant@DCX
Lotus Europa has a GM 4 pot now, so I’m gonna say GM/Chryco effort as the unnamed.
01/03, 3:33 AM
posted by:
A True Gear Head
Haha theyre gonna f%k Tesla in the ass