km : Automotive News

Every press release from every manufacturer says a little something about that brand. The American companies love the word "sporty" but otherwise their releases are boring. Germans love dynamism. And Lotus, well, everything we read from them paints a picture of Lotus being run by nothing but engineers running calculations all day long. One in particular is notable for this new Geneva Show concept, the Evora 414E Hybrid. They got to thinking about hybrids versus dedicated electric cars, and went to the chalkboard and worked it out. From start to finish, building an electric Evora with the power and range needed to satisfy customers would actually release more lifetime CO2 that the solution you see here, an extended-range electric car like the Chevy Volt, which uses a gasoline engine just to recharge the batteries. The electric component of the powertrain is sufficient enough for 35 miles of all-electric driving, satisfying the daily commuting needs of most people. Providing enough battery power to go futher is "redundant weight, which increases energy requirements." Beautiful.

We're not going to complain one bit about what Lotus has come up with here. The system uses two electric motors, one at each rear wheel, to deliver a total of 414 horsepower and almost 600 lb-ft of torque to the pavement. As a result, 0-60 mph is estimated to come in under four seconds. Between the two motors is a common transmission, which allowed Lotus engineers to develop a computerized torque vectoring system that picks and choses how much power each wheel gets, thereby optimizing handling. While the transmission uses just one gear ratio, Lotus has also developed a system that simulates a seven-speed, which is controlled through paddle shifters to keep the driver involved.

Even the range-extending gas engine is pretty clever. It's a 47-hp, 1.2-liter inline 3, with an aluminum monoblock construction that allows the cylinder block, head, and exhaust manifold to all share a single casting. This reduces mass, cost, and size, and also improves durability and emissions. It weighs just 187 pounds and keeps the electric motors going for over 300 miles. The batteries are placed between the passengers, along the center of the vehicle, and all of these components were added with minimal change to the Evora's existing structure.

Anticipating concerns about both the lack of driver involvement and the danger to pedestrians connected to quiet-running electric cars, Lotus worked with Harman International on a solution. Called HALOsonic technology, the concept provides sound contouring within the cabin to make the experience more exciting and outside the cabin to avoid pedestrian collisions. Is there anything Lotus didn't think of? The engine sounds and "gearshifts" are even joined by a computer regulation of engine torque that delivers a jolt through the car at the proper moment. And as Lotus explains, "There are four driver selectable engine sounds currently on the vehicle, two of which have been designed to have characteristics of a multi-cylinder conventional V6 and V12 engine. There is also a futuristic sound and a combination of a conventional engine and a futuristic sound, enhancing the brand identity of the vehicle as a step forward in electric vehicle design."

Copper was chosen as an exterior color because it's commonly associated with electrical system wiring, and in this case, it's done with a very cool satin finish. The car also uses a "floating" glass roof that we're quite sure might hint at a potential removable-top Evora coming in the near future. Leave it to Lotus to make the world's coolest gas-electric hybrid.

see what others are saying about this story...

Tweet