Lotus has a new, affordable car in the pipeline and it won't be electric
But it will be the last Lotus car with an internal-combustion engine, according to the company's CEO.
Lotus , now operating with a new lease on life under Geely ownership, continues to tease its big plans for expanding. The first big news came in the form of the Lotus Evija, a super exclusive electric supercar. Now, CEO Phil Popham has spilled light details on the next project.
It's none other than an affordable car, meant to come after the Evija and it will definitely serve the opposite end of the spectrum, Popham told Bloomberg in a new interview published Wednesday. The Evija will be limited to 130 cars and cost $2 million. This unnamed car will cost between $67,000 and $110,000, so not exactly the next people mover, but not $2 million, either.
What's unclear is what kind of sports car this will be and Lotus didn't immediately respond to Roadshow's request for comment. It should offer space for everyday use, but that could mean anything from a grand touring type of car and something more practical. What we do know is this new model will be the last Lotus with an internal-combustion engine. After that, Lotus plans to focus on alternative powertrains, evidenced by the Evija's all-electric powertrain. Some cues from the Evija should make their way to this entry-level model, too.
With the more affordable model, Lotus wants to produce 5,000 cars per year rather than 1,600, according to Popham. In the future, it sounds like the brand isn't afraid to tackle other segments outside of sports cars either. The CEO noted Geely has experience with other types of cars and didn't rule out the oft-rumored SUV model or a sporty sedan.
