Lotus Evija electric hypercar hits the track for the first time

is aiming high -- higher than it has in a long time. The small British automaker revealed the Evija electric hypercar this past summer, but on Thursday, it shared video of the car running on the track for the first time.

First of all, bad timing on Lotus' part. Yesterday, everyone was glued to the Tesla Cybertruck reveal. The Evija is an exciting thing and hopefully won't get buried under electric-pickup talk. 

For those who don't know about this British hypercar, Lotus wants the Evija to be the most powerful production car ever. With a target of just under 2,000 horsepower (not a typo) and 1,250 pound-feet of torque, this thing is going to be fast. Lotus further estimates the car will weigh 3,700 pounds at its lightest, which isn't too shabby for a supercar hauling around a hefty 70-kWh battery pack. Initial estimates peg the car as going from 0-60 mph in under 3 seconds and to 186 mph in about 9 seconds. That's, frankly, pretty nuts. 

All the while, the Evija should go an estimated 250 miles on a charge, though expect lower real-world numbers. European standards are a little more generous when it comes to EV range.

Most importantly, this "dynamic debut," a fairly new automaker phrase meaning "the first time the public sees it move," shows the Evija isn't vaporware. Lotus has been stuck in neutral for years updating its core cars like the Evora, but flush with cash after Geely's acquistion of Lotus, the British company isn't messing around any longer. The radical shape is intact throughout the video, including the seriously awesome rear air channels outlined in LED lights. The shots of the speedometer underscore that this will be a quick machine. Vinyl graphics reading "For the driver" reiterate that it's still going to be a proper Lotus in the way it moves.

We'll surely see more of the Evija in the coming months as Lotus plans to start production in 2020. By that point, maybe you'll have the $1.9 million to $2.6 million asking price saved up. Just 130 of these hypercars are planned, and you'll need to plop $310,000 down to secure a spot.

Lotus Evija doesn't look a thing like any other Lotus, and that's good

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