The battle of electric hypercars has begun and the latest to join in is Lotus – a company that has been lately getting a lot of flak for not updating its line-up. Meet the Lotus Evija, the British manufacturer’s first in-house all-electric car. With 1,973 horsepower (claimed) on tap, the Evija is also the first Lotus break into the hypercar segment. That’s not all; in fact, the newly unveiled electric hypercar is also the first product to be conceived entirely under the ownership of Chinese automobile giant Geely. It was in December last year when Autocar UK broke the news that Lotus was working on a $2.8 million all-electric hypercar that will compete against the likes of Rimac C_Two and Pininfarina Battista. Internally known as the Type 130, Lotus will build 130 road-going examples slated to begin production next year.
As far as the design and aesthetics are concerned, the Evija retains the recognizable silhouette of Lotus cars. However, the EV hypercar has been given futuristic design elements and a fascia that can compete with some of the hottest supercars. The highlight is the vertically stacked LED headlights. The electric hypercar also gets active aerodynamics that allows for an F1-style Drag Reduction System and doesn’t some with door mirrors for a clean exterior that minimizes drag. The Evija also weighs just 3,704 pounds thanks to a single-piece carbon fiber monocoque chassis, which makes it a super-lightweight in the world of electric cars.
The Lotus Evija is powered by a mid-mount 2,000-kilowatt lithium-ion battery pack that sends its juice to four electric motors capable of generating 493hp each, taking the total to 1,973 horsepower. Lotus says the Evija will sprint from zero to 62 mph in under 3 seconds and hit a top speed north of 200mph. Lotus claims a 250-mile of range on the European test cycle and the ability to charge at 350 kW, which will give an 80% charge in 12 minutes and a full charge in 18 minutes. Only 130 units available for grabs with a price-tag of about $2.1 million and a $300k deposit can get you one.
[Via:Autoblog]
