Lotus trashes fully electric future !!!!!

[PhilJ]

Lotus embraces EREV hybrids as it axes all-electric plan | Autocar

Brand had committed to going electric-only in 2028, but luxury car buyers are proving reluctant to switch to EVs

www.autocar.co.uk

Common sense prevails !

A hybrid Emira Mk2 would be cool.

 

[Time2Fly]

Well their stock hasn't moved at all.

 

[Jinba ittai]

The tariffs left them little choice.

 

[Six Speed Stephen]

Woohoo!

 

[Lotustoronto]

EREV since it is a Hybrid would still carry US / CAN tariffs. It seems this is more geared towards Europe and Chinese market. Nonetheless it's a good step to offer more choices.

 

[sonor8s]

I am glad they ditched the all-EV strategy but I have my doubts about their ability to reliably execute power delivery via batteries + ICE. Other than Toyota and Honda, many large automakers have struggled to harmonize the power delivery from these two sources.

 

[morphious]

I am glad they ditched the all-EV strategy but I have my doubts about their ability to reliably execute power delivery via batteries + ICE. Other than Toyota and Honda, many large automakers have struggled to harmonize the power delivery from these two sources.

Just use the hybrid Camry power train and supercharge it. LOL

 

[Eagle7]

Hmmm... I seem to recall someone in here saying they should do this very thing. I wonder if Geely reads this forum lol.

 

[digilotus]

Just use the hybrid Camry power train and supercharge it. LOL

Do you really want a CVT Auto Hybrid Emira?

 

[Adam Brouillard]

I’d like to see a Toyota/Ford style ecvt system in a car like the Emira. Most hybrid sports cars seem to just be adding extra motors and batteries, which adds complexity and weight.

The ecvt system essentially replaces the transmission with the hybrid system, which is a very robust design and gives linear torque like an electric. The only real added weight to the vehicle is the battery pack, which normally is around 100 lbs on a typical hybrid. For comparison, an electric car battery pack is about 1000 lbs.

I don’t think anyone has developed one at the power levels we would want on the emira though. Obviously, this would also be no good for people that want a traditional manual transmission, which seems to be the vast majority of Emira buyers currently. I personally not only don’t want to work the work a clutch manually, I’d prefer to not even have traditional gears. I just want the throttle to give me linear torque on demand.

 

[morphious]

Do you really want a CVT Auto Hybrid Emira?

No, that is why I have a V6 M. LOL

 

[allenyao09]

The thing is Lotus doesn't have its own powertrain. Even if they want to go ICE or hybrid route, what power unit are they gonna use?

 

[digilotus]

The thing is Lotus doesn't have its own powertrain. Even if they want to go ICE or hybrid route, what power unit are they gonna use?

Take the existing 2L AMG M139 engine hybrid setup from the c63 with up to 500kW of combined ICE+electric power and 1020Nm of torque. Or failing that, the Volvo XC90 hybrid drivetrain - 2L 4cyl with combined 462hp / 340Kw; 709Nm of Torque.

Problem is that they're all automatics, so no more manuals... plus the added weight!

 

[seriously]

Take the existing 2L AMG M139 engine hybrid setup from the c63 with up to 500kW of combined ICE+electric power and 1020Nm of torque. Or failing that, the Volvo XC90 hybrid drivetrain - 2L 4cyl with combined 462hp / 340Kw; 709Nm of Torque.

Problem is that they're all automatics, so no more manuals... plus the added weight!

But it would be pretty fast.

 

[allenyao09]

Take the existing 2L AMG M139 engine hybrid setup from the c63 with up to 500kW of combined ICE+electric power and 1020Nm of torque. Or failing that, the Volvo XC90 hybrid drivetrain - 2L 4cyl with combined 462hp / 340Kw; 709Nm of Torque.

Problem is that they're all automatics, so no more manuals... plus the added weight!

But it all depends on what Lotus is able to source from other manufacturers. It will also be a big challenge to fit the hybrid system into the already tight engine bay.

 

[meenboli]

Pretty sure the Lexus RX450H uses the same Camry engine (it's a 3.5L V6 - I know that much as my dad has one!).

It's a hybrid - just needs the supercharger strapping on top from what I can see.

And it's quietness removing (adding sand to the oil should do it).

 

[Six Speed Stephen]

But it all depends on what Lotus is able to source from other manufacturers. It will also be a big challenge to fit the hybrid system into the already tight engine bay.

They’ll have to kill the back seat storage area and/or shrink the trunk

 

[Tomwa]

I think killing the rear shelf is completely reasonable.

As someone already mentioned, if you take off the plastic panels and lean over the top of the engine, there's a surprising amount of space between the firewall and the engine even accounting for some movement on the mounts. There's space for *something else* there. Granted, on the i-4 version the engine might be tilted into that space, but then the 4 cyl should take up less room in general.

I think if you add a hybrid system you probably drop the supercharger. Fundamentally both can be looked at as 'power adders' and both will have a sort of parasitic drag on the ICE.

I wonder how complicated it is to add regen-braking to the front wheels without having drive motors up there.

 

[meenboli]

I think what this really tells us - especially when you look at the losses car makers are struggling with, and the general apathy towards EV in the first place, is that the (UK) government(s) have got it wrong yet again.

Making up policies with zero understanding of what they are talking about.

I mean, the £15k fine for producing more ICE cars than your quota is stupidity beyond belief in the crazy quest for an EV only world (when the world clearly isn't ready, and probably never will be) - and goes to show that the people in charge of our economy have no clue when it comes to, err, the economy.

*Rant over* - for now...

 

[Lotustoronto]

I think what this really tells us - especially when you look at the losses car makers are struggling with, and the general apathy towards EV in the first place, is that the (UK) government(s) have got it wrong yet again.

Making up policies with zero understanding of what they are talking about.

I mean, the £15k fine for producing more ICE cars than your quota is stupidity beyond belief in the crazy quest for an EV only world (when the world clearly isn't ready, and probably never will be) - and goes to show that the people in charge of our economy have no clue when it comes to, err, the economy.

*Rant over* - for now...

Another way of looking at it - Government's knew what they were doing and wanted the extra tax money.

As for the engine powering the hybrids - https://insideevs.com/news/730921/zeekr-super-hybrid-geely-2025/

Zeekr is basically the lower end Lotus in the Geely umbrella. I don't think the Emira will be coming with any hybrid tech. Expect type 135 to have it however. Probably both EV and Hybrid variants.