Report: Lotus Backtracks on EV Plans, Will Offer Plug-In Hybrids
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Lotus CEO Feng Qingfeng has announced at the Guangzhou, China, auto show that Lotus will introduce plug-in-hybrid range-extender powertrains, as reported by Autocar.
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The setup will use turbocharged gas engines and will be capable of ultra-rapid charging thanks to a 900-volt electrical architecture.
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Lotus has not said when the system will arrive and in which models we can expect to see it.
A few years ago, Lotus announced big plans to go electric. The Emira sports car was set to be the brand's final internal-combustion vehicle, and Lotus has since launched the electric Eletre SUV and Emeya sedan in global markets. These two models were due to be followed by a smaller electric SUV and an EV sports car. But now Lotus is backtracking, announcing that it will introduce plug-in hybrids featuring internal-combustion engines in the near future, as reported by Autocar.
The decision was confirmed by Lotus CEO Feng Qingfeng at the Guangzhou auto show in China, Autocar reported. The range-extender plug-in-hybrid system, which Feng dubbed "Super Hybrid," will combine a turbocharged gas engine with batteries that support ultra-rapid charging. The company aims to use the range-extender gas engine to boost the overall driving range to 680 miles.
Feng didn't specify which models would benefit from this new technology, but the Eletre and Emeya seem like good bets, as well as the smaller upcoming EV SUV that's set to battle the Porsche Macan EV. Feng also didn't mention which gas engine would be used to recharge the battery. The Emira sports car is currently powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder built by Mercedes-AMG, but Lotus could go a different route.
For Lotus's range-extender powertrains, Feng aims to have the internal-combustion engine recharge the battery at a much faster rate than the setups used by other automakers. The cars will also feature a 900-volt electrical architecture that will be able to "flash charge" the battery, with Feng claiming this charging rate will be even faster than battery swapping, a practice used by Chinese EV company Nio.
The move comes as EV sales growth slows, particularly in the luxury space that Lotus participates in. The popularity of plug-in hybrids and range-extender setups have skyrocketed this year in China, which has accounted for 25 percent of the brand's sales so far this year. Lotus has yet to begin sales of either of its new electric models, the Eletre and the Emeya, in the United States.
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