Lotus doesn’t sell that many cars worldwide, but the brand made waves back in 2021 when it announced that the Emira would be its last internal combustion-powered car. At the time, Lotus said it would go all-electric by 2028, but the Chinese-owned British automaker recently walked that decision back, saying it would focus on hybrid technology instead.
CEO Feng Qingfeng told the Wall Street Journal, “At Lotus, we have always chosen the best power technology available, whether it’s pure gasoline, pure electric, hybrid, or range-extended EVs.” Lotus once poo-pooed the idea of hybrids, especially PHEVs, saying that they have a compromised driving experience.
Despite that, Feng said Lotus would employ a 900-volt electrical architecture to flash-charge the battery faster than alternative measures like swapping the battery pack. HE said the company also plans a “super hybrid” technology that could deliver as much as 680 miles on a tank of fuel. Complexity has never been British automakers’ friend, however, so it remains to be seen how reliable and robust the new technologies could be.
While this development is likely welcome news for Lotus enthusiasts, it’s a bit too early to get your hopes up. Hybrid and PHEVs are heavier than gas-only vehicles, which complicates the automaker’s legacy of building lightweight, great-handling cars. It’s more likely that Lotus uses the technology in its sedan and SUV business instead of focusing on developing new sports cars.
[Images: Lotus]
Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about cars first by subscribing to our newsletter.
Source: The Truth About Cars
