Lotus recently took a step back in its plan to become an all-electric carmaker by 2028 and announced a new Hyper Hybrid powertrain for 2026, and now a new report hints that the combustion-engined Emira could be electrified, thus extending its lifespan.
The Emira arrived in 2021 as the successor to the Evora and was considered the last Lotus car with an SUS engine, which will live until 2027. This coincided with the arrival of the all-electric Type 135 sports car, which has now been shelved due to battery weight issues.
Lotus’s European director, Dan Ballmer, told Autocar that the company is thinking about electrifying the Emira.
“In today’s world, anything is possible. ‘Never say never’ is the rule, because we have to be open-minded and understand what the market wants, as well as what technology is available to us at a given moment. The potential of hybrid drives is there, as is the potential for all-electric platforms. It’s just a matter of what technology is available for the attributes we want in Lotus,” Balmer said.
Current powertrain options for the Lotus Emira include AMG’s 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with more than 360 and 400 hp, as well as Toyota’s 3.5-liter supercharged V6 engine, which also delivers more than 400 hp.
Judging by the available technology, the electrified Emira sounds quite realistic. AMG’s drivetrain is already available with a mild hybrid system in the A35, while versions of Toyota’s V6 engine have been used as part of the hybrid system.
Although the range of electrification will not be as intense as in the case of Lotus’s Hyper Hybrid drive, hybrid assistance on the Emira’s SUS engines could help reduce emissions and improve performance.
At the moment there is no deadline for the possible arrival of the hybrid Emira, but the option of an electrified drive could be added to the offer as part of a mild facelift.
Source: Klix.ba / Carscoops.com
Photo: Archive Autoblog.rs / Lotus
Source: autoblog.rs
