The Lotus Evija isn't the only electric hypercar in the world right now - it occupies only a single space in a growing industry where automakers old and new push boundaries, create astonishingly fast cars and prove to the world that battery-electric vehicles don't have to be boring – or slow.
It has been a long time coming, though; the British sports car firm Lotus has been teasing us for the last 3 years with a project that will be both its first electric car, and all-new model.
Despite not being the only contender in town, the Evija is set to look stunning and offer performance to rival most other supercars – here are some of the best highlights and features of the Lotus Evija that we are aware of in 2022.
9 The Lotus Evija Is Lotus' First Hypercar
Lotus, like TVR, another British sports carmaker, did not build its reputation on hypercars, instead, it began focusing on light weight to produce some amazing driver’s cars like the Lotus Elise.
The Lotus Evija – which derives it name from ‘Eve’ will indeed be a new beginning for the brand and its electric future.
Lotus’ website states that the car is available for 2023, and we have seen various prototypes and appearances of the car to date, which looks near to production ready.
8 Lotus' Evija Will Have A Thunderous Powertrain Like No Other
There’s a full-electric 70 kWh powertrain that will power the Evija – no internal combustion engine and no hybrid hardware, just four motors and the battery pack. This will enable the Evija to offer up to 1972 hp from a standstill and four-wheel-drive thanks to the quad-motor setup.
Lotus says this will be the most powerful production car and despite other electric hypercars also offering similar powertrains like the NIO EP9, Rimac Nevera, and Pininfarina Battista, this will be one of the few cars you can buy with such a formidable powertrain.
7 Performance Stats Deserving Of An All-Electric Hypercar
The electric powertrain consisting of batteries and motors might sound uninspiring and will certainly not offer any of the vibration, smells, sounds and engagement of an ICE engine, but the stats of the Lotus Evija are compelling.
Lotus says it will hit 60 mph in under 3 seconds which isn’t noteworthy among EVs – but the 0-186 mph time of 9 seconds certainly is. Its performance is tuned to have more performance from 80 mph for example than from a standstill – resulting in a higher top speed at the expense of a more headline-grabbing 0-60 mph time.
6 A Lightweight, Awesome Piece Of Engineering
The Lotus Evija will weigh approximately 3700 lbs which is astonishing given its power and performance potential – lightness being one of the company’s historical overriding values.
According to Lotus on its Evija media press page, the car “is built on a one-piece motorsport-inspired carbon fiber monocoque chassis” and will have magnesium wheels, it should be the lightest electric hypercar in the world.
Active aerodynamics will help insure this car is effective on track as well as in a straight line – where Lotus applies F1 technology and know-how to make the Evija formidable in every way.
5 The Evija Looks Awesome Inside And Out
There are no door mirrors on this Lotus, and the streamlined shape is optimized for aerodynamics and performance as much as style.
Lotus carefully designs the air scoops, diffusers, active aero, and every piece to be functional including the iconic rear air ducts to make it slippery and provide downforce where needed. The company says it has a ride height of just 4 inches, the front splitter is a bi-plane design, and the airflow is optimized overall to both reduce drag and funnel cooling air into the powertrain.
4 A Fast-Charging System Will Come As Standard
Being an electric car, the charging specs are important just like they are for a Kia EV6; so, Lotus will ensure the Evija has up to 800kW charging capability – faster than the current 350kW standard – and in 12 minutes the Lotus will reach 80% battery capacity.
Waiting another 6 minutes means it will reach 100%, allowing you to finish your coffee before heading off for another record-breaking trip around the Nürburgring. Range is slated to be around 215 miles – although depending on your right foot, your mileage may vary.
3 It Isn't A Stripped-Out Racing Car: Amenities And Comfort Features
Lotus’ Evija also wants to offer clients a grand tourer experience as much as race car thrills – as such there are two seats accessible through the butterfly doors into an exquisite cabin.
There is climate control, Apple Car Play, and Android Auto, as well as touches like Alcántara on the racing-inspired steering wheel.
An adjustable wheel, sliding and reclining seats, and ‘bespoke storage areas’ also await the lucky individuals who reside within this special car.
2 The Lotus Evija Will Be Extremely Expensive
Considering its provenance, engineering, performance and more, you wouldn’t expect this to be a cheap hypercar – or even relatively-cheap.
It will cost around $2 million, which might seem like a bargain for the kind of individuals with the spare capital and electric charging socket at home, but the limited-edition 130-car production run will ensure this remains a rare and exotic car in the future.
For reference, the Pininfarina Battista and Rimac Nevera also sit around the $2 million mark, so the price seems to be a benchmark in electric hypercars for now.
1 The Release Date Of The Lotus Evija Is Sooner Than You Think
It seems like the Lotus Evija has been teasing us for a long while now, and while it's already added to the 2022 roster it is available from 2023 according to Lotus’ website, although we’re sure they’ll be snapped up rather quickly by hedge fund investors and successful YouTubers.
The great thing about the Evija is not just that it’s a great car, it showcases the kind of engineering, design, and performance that will surely trickle down into the brands more attainable future sports cars. Or at least that’s the idea; with PR like this we shouldn’t worry that Lotus’ iconic cars will get ruined by the extinction of internal combustion engines – this could be just the start of something big.