Unofficial sources are reporting that Lotus plans to discontinue its current Emira coupe in a few years, replacing it with an all-electric vehicle and leaving zero petrol cars in its lineup. It is allegedly already in development under the codename Type 135.
The sources claim it will be attractively priced at roughly £75,000 (U.S. $95,000) despite high specifications. Once out and about, it will become the staple of Lotus’ next-gen sports car lineup. It will be treated as a mid-engine car in terms of both weight distribution and cabin layout (only two seats).
According to these unofficial reports, there will be two powertrain options – single-motor/RWD and dual-motor/AWD. The former should output roughly 470 horsepower (350 kilowatts) and the latter around 870 hp (650 kW). A battery pack installed behind the seats should be sufficient for 725 km (450 miles) o range. Not lining the entire floor with power cells like many other EV manufacturers do can result in a more traditional driving experience, Lotus argues.
The production is reportedly scheduled to begin in 2027 at a factory in the UK – a welcome change from the current Lotus strategy of assembling cars in China. We are told that the company hopes to sell 10,000–15,000 Type 135 units every year.