• Lotus has unveiled the Theory 1 concept, a lightweight electric supercar.
Lotus rarely makes the headlines, but it knows how to attract attention when it comes up with new models. The brand’s creations are nothing if not distinctive.
While Lotus still markets the gasoline-powered Emira sports car, it has begun to step into the electric vehicle market with the Eletre SUV and the Emeya sedan. The group's next creation takes us back to its roots as a company focused on sportiness.
The company has just a new concept. The Theory 1 prototype is a sporty coupe offering 987 hp and all-wheel drive.
Perhaps most ambitious about Lotus’ latest effort is the goal to keep the EV’s weight under 3,500 lb.
The Theory 1 concept represents the new design philosophy at Lotus. Inspired by the legendary Esprit, the model's profile is spectacular. But while the shape of the cabin is reminiscent of the Esprit's mid-engine design, the rear end is totally different, with ultra-slim lights, a large deployable spoiler and a huge diffuser. Most striking of all are the doors, which open by pivoting backwards and upwards.
The cabin of the Theory 1 concept is no less eye-catching. It features a central driver's seat and two side seats for passengers. This is a configuration already seen with other models in the past, from the most recent McLaren F1 to older models like the 70s-era Matra Simca Bagheera.
Not everything’s retro here, of course. There are screens located at the sides of each pillar in place of mirrors, a head-up display, speakers in the headrests and airbags integrated into the seats.
And to demonstrate just how futuristic the presentation is, the interior relies on what the company calls “on-demand buttons”. Formed by what is described as a “reactive textile” that occupies the cabin's surfaces, they can present buttons when they’re needed and make them disappear when they aren’t.
“The technology is only present when you need it, and then it disappears, like on-demand buttons,” Facundo Gutierrez, CEO of MotorSkins, the company behind the technology, told Wired. “For example, you're driving and a car comes up behind you, the seat fabric can give you a gentle tap on the shoulder. Another example, a call comes in and a button appears so you can take the call.”
As for the car's hardware, the concept is fitted with a 70-kWh battery which, according to Lotus, will enable the model to offer 400 km of range. For 0-100 km/h, due to the lower anticipated weight, Lotus is talking about a time of 2.5 seconds.
Lotus has always been known for its lightweight sports cars. It looks set to do the same in the electric age.
