Lotus Evija: the world’s first pure electric British hypercar

Due to start production in 2020, the world’s first fully electric British hypercar, the all-new Lotus Evija, has been revealed to the world today.

With unparalleled performance and a target power output of 2,000 PS, it sets new
standards in terms of advanced EV engineering. Quite simply, the Lotus Evija is
the most powerful series production road car ever built.

The Evija marks the start of an exciting new chapter in the history of an iconic
and much-loved British sports car brand. It is the first hypercar from Lotus, and
the company’s first model with an electrified powertrain. As the first completely
new car to be launched under the stewardship of Geely – the world’s fastest
growing automotive group – its significance cannot be overstated.

Pronounced ‘ev-eye-a’ it 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. The Evija – as the first all-electric
hypercar from a British car maker – continues that story of innovation.

Production is limited to no more than 130 examples, making it among the most
exclusive cars ever launched. It’s 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.

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.”

Advanced pure EV powertrain means record-breaking power

With target figures of 2,000 PS of power and 1,700 Nm of torque, the Lotus Evija
is the world’s most powerful production road car. At the heart of the Evija is an
ultra-advanced all-electric powertrain. Key to that exceptional power output is
the 2,000 kW lithium-ion battery, supplied with its management system by
Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE) as part of a joint venture with Lotus to
collaborate on advanced propulsion technologies.

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.

Power is fed from the battery pack to a bespoke in-line axial arrangement of two
high-power density e-motors. These feature integrated silicon carbide inverters
and epicyclic transmission on each axle of the four-wheel drive powertrain. The
motors and inverters being supplied by the e-Drives division of Integral
Powertrain Ltd.

Of being selected to partner with Lotus Cars, Luke Barker, Integral Powertrain Ltd
Director said “Integral Powertrain is committed to extending the boundaries of e-
drive technology and enabling our clients worldwide to produce amazing
products. This is exemplified in this project with Lotus Cars for which we will be
engineering and supplying one of the most power dense integrated motor
inverter packages available. It is a privilege to work with Lotus and we are
looking forward to seeing the Evija on the road”.

The high performance EV powertrain is rounded with four exceptionally compact,
extremely light and highly efficient single-speed, helical gear ground planetary
gearboxes transfer power to each driveshaft. Measuring a mere 100mm in depth,
each gearbox comes packaged with the e-motor and inverter as a single
cylindrical Electrical Drive Unit (EDU). With a target power of 500 PS per e-motor,
this is the most efficient and elegant engineering solution to deploying so much
power with precision.

Torque-vectoring, enabled by the four e-motors, provides exceptional dynamic
response and agility on the road. This fully automatic, self-adjusting system can
instantly distribute power to any combination of two, three or four wheels within
a fraction of a second. In track mode the ability to add more power to individual
wheels enables the radius of corners to be tightened, potentially reducing lap
times.

The Lotus Evija in Detail

• Lotus Evija – the first all-electric British hypercar – makes its world debut in
  London
  
• Target power output of 2,000 PS makes it the world’s most powerful series
  production road car
  
• Target 0-62 mph (0-100km/h) in under three seconds, top speed over 200
  mph (320 km/h)
• Ultra-lightweight carbon fibre monocoque makes it the world’s lightest
  production EV hypercar, at 1,680kg
  
• Pure electric driving range target of 250 miles (400 km)
  
• Mid-mounted battery pack echoes celebrated Lotus mid-engined sports
  car layout
  
• World-first main and dipped beam laser lighting technology
  
• Comprehensive personalisation and experiential programs for customers
  
• Designed, engineered and hand-built at Lotus’ famous home in Hethel, UK
  
• Cements the UK’s position as the world leader in high-performance, advanced technology automotive manufacturing
  
• Lotus Evija production limited to just 130 cars – in tribute to its Lotus
  ‘Type’ number, 130 – beginning in 2020