Electric Sports Car Planned by Lotus
January 2, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
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”. Read more
World’s Only Eco Elise is Cradle to Cradle Green
January 1, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
This is the world’s only Eco Elise – a testbed research vehicle for Lotus, a four-wheeled laboratory to help the company make cleaner, greener cars. It’s an Elise that’s become a friend of the earth.
Lotus unveiled its “Eco Elise” at British International Motor Showin July. The primary innovation is the use of hemp and other ethically farmed renewable crops for body panels, seats, and carpets. Paints are all water-based. For body components, the hemp material is used with a polyester resin to form a hybrid composite. The hemp hard top on the Eco Elise has two flexible solar panels neatly embedded in the roof, contributing power to the electrical systems and saving energy that would otherwise be drained from the engine. Read more
New Engine From Lotus Is 15% More Fuel Efficient
November 4, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
A new gasoline engine that can reduce fuel consumption by 15 percent without losing power, has been developed by a research project in the UK.
The main feature of the new design is the way in which fuel and air are separately introduced into the engine cylinders. By experimenting with different regimes for directly injecting fuel while varying the opening and shutting the air inlet valves, the researchers say they have achieved the major breakthrough in performance–and developed a “concept-car engine” that is gaining interest from big auto makers. Read more
