Electric Sports Car Planned by Lotus
January 2, 2009 by admin
Lotus, the sports-car manufacturer, plans to enter the burgeoning field of battery-powered cars with a high-performance electric vehicle.
Lotus may show a Volt-like car, with a fuel-based “range extender” to back up its battery, in concept form at the Geneva motor show in March. The car’s range extender would allow it to drive 300 to 400 miles on a single tank of petrol, Mr Kimberley, Lotus CEO said. It “will become one of the showcases for the world of what you can do with electric vehicle technology”.
Lotus already assembles the bodies for the Tesla roadster, which is based on its Elise model, at its factory in Norfolk. It has also advised Chrysler, the troubled Detroit automaker, on an electric car for its Dodge brand based on the Lotus Europa.
Lotus is investing £60m in new cars as it seeks to develop lower-emission technology like electric vehicles and biofuels and expand its range from mostly small two-seaters.
This year it will launch the four-seat Evora, its first all-new model in 13 years, and it is planning replacements of its Esprit and Elise models.
With support from the Department for Trade and Industry, it is working with a “major automotive manufacturer” on a range extender and other parts for an electric car, Mr Kimberley said.
The UK government is trying to make Britain a European hub for emerging greener automotive technology and talked to GM about bringing European production of the Volt to the UK.
Other leading carmakers including Toyota, Nissan and Daimler also plan to make plug-in hybrid or electric cars powered mainly by powerful lithium-ion batteries that will allow for longer electric-only driving ranges.
With falling petrol prices and tighter financing conditions it has become much more difficult for carmakers to bankroll, or make the business case for electric cars. In Europe and the US, they are seeking government aid for greener technologies.
Tesla has faced technological and financing problems as it launched the roadster, the first of two planned models. Think, a privately owned Norwegian electric carmaker, has interrupted production and temporarily laid off about half its staff.
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