Lotus planning wanted in 2027 to launch a new sports all-electric model, the car codenamed Type 135 based on the E-Sports platform which will be 37% lighter than the Emira platform.
The Type 135 will replace the Emira and Elise but Lotus’ plans appear to be held back by existing battery technology. As Lotus designer Ben Payne said in a recent interview, the increased weight of the batteries may delay the launch of the model, with the company waiting for lighter batteries to come on the market so that the new car retains the Elise’s philosophy. i.e. a sports car with a light weight.
As Payne added, solid-state batteries could help Lotus meet its weight target for the Type 135.
Until today we knew that the Elise’s successor will be offered in versions with one or two electric motors, producing 470 and 872 hp respectively. It will have a battery capacity of either 66.4 kWh or 99.6 kWh, with a range of 480 or 725 kilometers per charge. The battery will not be mounted on the floor, but behind the driver, so that the driver sits as low as possible.
It will be produced at Lotus’ plant in Norfolk, England, with the model positioned against the electric Porsche Boxster and Caymen, and will be sold alongside the Emira, which will be phased out in 2028. The company estimates it could sell 10,000 up to 15,000 such cars worldwide each year.
Source: www.autoblog.gr
