Lotus Confirms Four Electric Vehicles Are Coming, First SUV Arriving in 2022

author: Vineeth Joel Patel   

Sure, large automakers like Volkswagen and General Motors are shifting toward an all-electric future with some hardship, but what about the smaller brands? Ones that don't make millions of cars a year, but a few thousand. Moving to all-electric vehicles isn't going to be easy for small automakers, as they don't have the funds or manpower to make the switch. Lotus is one of these small automakers. Despite its tiny size, Lotus has serious plans for EVs in its future. The automaker released some more information on four of its upcoming electric models that will follow the Evija EV hypercar.

SUV Coming In 2022

Lotus' future electric lineup will include two SUVs, a coupe-like sedan, and a sports car. One of the SUVs, which reportedly is being called the Type 132 internally, is expected to come out in 2022. The four-door coupe known as the Type 133 will go on sale in 2023 and the second SUV called the Type 134 will make its debut in 2025. Lastly, the Type 135 sports car will come out in 2026. Lotus has made bold claims about its future before, but with money from Geely, coming out with four EVs seems plausible.

We knew about a few of Lotus' EVs before. The automaker shared some information on one of the SUVs and the sedan, but the other vehicles are new. The automaker claims that its four-door electric cars will ride on a new platform called the Lotus Premium. It's highly modular, featuring a wheelbase that can range from 114 to 122 inches. Battery packs that can be used in the platform range from 92 to 120-kilowatt hours. The platform can also accommodate an 800-volt charging system.

Lotus Is Making Large Changes

To come out with the four EVs, the Lotus Technology subsidiary broke ground on a new facility in China last month. The automaker formed the new division to develop all sorts of components for electric vehicles, including electric motors, energy management systems, and electric control systems. All four of Lotus' upcoming electric cars will be built at the facility in China. Once the factory is up and running, it will have a capacity of up to 150,000 cars a year, though it will take some time to reach that figure. The all-electric sports car that's coming in 2026 will be built in England and be used as the basis of a new model for Alpine.

The move to manufacture vehicles in China is a sharp contrast to how Lotus conducted business with its vehicles with an internal combustion engine. The automaker usually kept things in-house in the U.K., as one of its main selling points was its British heritage. Moving production of its EVs to China will draw some hate from consumers.

"Transforming Lotus from a UK sports car company to a truly global performance car company has always been at the core of Vision80," Matt Windle, managing director at Lotus, said. "The launch of Lotus Technology is a major milestone on the road to making that a reality, while adhering to the unwavering Lotus principles of pure performance, efficiency, motorsport success and, above all, being ‘For the Drivers'."

Vineeth Joel Patel

Joel Patel has been covering all aspects of the automotive industry for four years as an editor and freelance writer for various websites. When it comes to cars, he enjoys covering the merger between technology and cars. In his spare time, Joel likes to watch baseball, work on his car, and try new foods