Yahoo Finance The Lotus Elise's Designer Is Turning It Into a Super-Fast-Charging EV
Technically, the Lotus Elise didn't end production until 2021; the third-generation model ended its 25-year run with the last model sold to the car's namesake, Elisa Artioli. Here in the States, however, the last Lotus Elise available for showroom purchase came in 2011. Either way, there's been a bite-sized roadster shape missing in our collective hearts for a while — but that could change real soon.
That's because Nyobolt, a United Kingdom-based lithium-ion battery charging firm, has finally put its Lotus Elise-inspired electric roadster on the road. Initially teased as a concept last year, Nyobolt has enlisted the help of design and engineering firm Callum to bring the battery-powered sports car to life.
Headed up by Julian Thomson, the original designer of the Lotus Elise, and Ian Callum, the former director of design at Jaguar Land Rover, the Nyobolt EV prototype is as focused on efficiency as it is performance. It has a tiny 35-kWh battery pack; rumors abound about power levels of 450 hp and 350lb-ft of torque, but Nyobolt has yet to confirm any specific performance figures. Instead, the battery charging specialists are boasting its charging prowess.
Using next-generation carbon and metal oxide anode materials as well as low-impedance cell design, Nyobolt says its EV roadster can charge up to 80 percent from empty in as little as five minutes — at least, on 350-kW DC fast chargers. All told, the Nyobolt EV will reporteldy go around 155 miles on a single charge. That's a bit meek, especially considering the distances it can take to drive to excellent roads, but the fast charge times should make up for it.
Nyobolt's decision to use a small battery pack helps keep the electric Elise rendition light. With a curb weight of 2,750 pounds, the Nyobolt EV is around 700 pounds heavier than its predecessor; still, by EV standards, it's a featherweight. And Nyobolt's director of vehicle battery systems, Shane Davies, believes that slow charging speeds and overburdened chassis are barriers to EV adoption, indicating that keeping the EV roadster trim was a huge focus for the company.
“We can enable OEMs to build excitement back into the segment, which is literally weighed down by legacy battery technology currently,” said Davies.
While no official plans for production have been announced, Nyobolt says it is preparing low-volume assembly and manufacturing processes for its battery packs. The company says it could have consistent, low-volume production running this year, with the potential to ramp up to 1,000 battery packs in 2025. Better yet, Nyobolt hinted at the potential to produce specific batteries for both road and track cars. Officially in conversation with eight automakers to integrate its batteries in future performance vehicles, we're excited to see how this ethos of lighter-is-faster plays out for Nyobolt.
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