Lotus says it will go all-electric by 2028, and in the same press conference, it teased its last new gasoline-powered car.
The announcements come as part of a plan to grow one of the smallest automakers dramatically. Today, Lotus sells about 1,500 cars per year, mostly through a network of dealerships. According to Managing Director Matt Windle, the British brand plans to sell “tens of thousands” of cars by the end of the decade, mostly online. The plan may also see the brand expand beyond its usual lineup of tiny sports cars.
Windle said the company has three new electric car platforms in development. They include an exotic hypercar and a platform for an all-new range of lifestyle vehicles. In typical Lotus fashion, Windle said engineers are currently working on reducing the weight of these underpinnings.
Alongside its electric plans, the brand hints at what it says will be its last internal combustion-powered car, the Emira. The car will formally debut in July.
The Emira will likely carry a starting price around $60,000, extending all the way up to six figures with options. It will come only in hardtop coupe form, even though it is the successor to both the Exige coupe and Elise roadster. Two engines will be available. Buyers will choose from a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder paired only with a twin-clutch automatic or the same Toyota-built, supercharged V6 Lotus uses in the Evora. The V6 will pair with either the auto or a 6-speed manual.
The Emira will slightly differ from Lotus tradition by offering a few cabin luxuries. Among them is a touchscreen infotainment system, rather than the spartan cockpits the brand is famous for.
