Lotus previews future sports cars with EV concept

Lotus has unveiled the Concept 1, an idea automobile meant to preview its all-electric future and the applied sciences that can start to seem on its efficiency automobiles within the coming years.

The Concept 1 is a two-door electrical sports activities automobile that includes a design Lotus claims was impressed by the Esprit of previous, headlined by a pointy wedge-like profile that results in a pointed entrance edge and a cabin that sits in direction of the entrance of the automobile.

Whereas the Esprit had its cabin positioned additional ahead to suit a mid-mounted engine, the Concept 1 has no such requirement attributable to its electrical powertrain.

Lotus has made it clear this automobile is just an idea, with no plans to place it into manufacturing. As a substitute, the options discovered on the Concept 1 are prone to affect future efficiency electrical autos (EVs) from the British model.

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Lotus says its intention with the Concept 1 was to “exhibit that you just don’t have to compromise” when producing a efficiency automobile for the longer term, with “each digital and analogue capabilities working harmoniously” to create a future automobile.

The Concept 1 is constructed atop a carbon tub with three seats, with the driving force’s seat positioned within the centre of the automobile and flanked by two passenger seats additional again – very like the association within the iconic McLaren F1.

Not like the McLaren, the all-wheel drive Concept 1 is fed by a 70kWh battery and might produce a most of 735kW of energy.

The 0-100km/h dash could be carried out in below 2.5 seconds, whereas the claimed prime pace is 320km/h.

Lotus additionally claims electrical vary of 402km below the WLTP take a look at cycle.

The Concept 1 measures in at 4490mm lengthy, 2000mm huge, and 1140mm tall, and weighs in at lower than 1600kg.

It’s related in dimension and weight to the Evija supercar, although that automobile outputs a colossal 1500kW with the assistance of a 93kWh battery.

Inside, the Concept 1 includes a head-up show, whereas screens on both facet of the dashboard present footage from behind the automobile because it lacks typical facet mirrors.

Its seats are additionally constructed into the physique of the automobile, and have a singular materials designed to help the concept of “clever driving”

The fabric has been described as an “adaptive delicate and light-weight robotic textile materials”, which might reply to prompts from outdoors the automobile and adapt to relay info to the driving force.

The Concept 1’s seats and steering wheel are additionally fitted with inflatable pods to offer haptic suggestions, which might do issues like create pulses to tell the driving force of a automobile behind or when they need to make a flip.

The seats’ headrests are additionally fitted with 3D-printed lattice materials to scale back weight and enhance consolation, and embody in-built audio system like what you’d discover in a Mazda MX-5.

The Concept 1’s doorways open backwards and wrap over the roof of the automobile. Lotus says such a design helps to keep up a small footprint, sustaining full use of its doorways and easy accessibility even in tight parking areas.

On the rear is an lively rear wing and passive underbody, all of which serving to to provide downforce and cut back drag.

Lotus says it drew inspiration from the 1967 Lotus 49 Formulation One automobile to develop the motor and suspension association, because the motor and battery are designed to take the forces straight from the suspension, lowering complexity and weight.

The rear wing has additionally been mounted on to the motor and suspension meeting, whereas the entire automobile has been constructed from ten principal “A-surface supplies” with efficiency, sturdiness, weight, and recyclability in thoughts.

Such supplies included cellulose-based glass fibre and titanium, together with recycled supplies like chopped carbon fibre, rubber, polyester, and aluminium.

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