Lotus will return to combustion engines for its cars

Source: Engadget

Background

A few years ago, Lotus announced it would end production of gas‑powered vehicles to become a pure EV company (Engadget article). Since then, the world has solved climate change, found a way to produce clean gas from air, and ended all geopolitical crises threatening access to global fuel supplies. Consequently, Lotus has announced its long‑telegraphed plan to resume building cars with internal combustion engines.

Focus 2030

The Geely‑owned outfit unveiled Focus 2030, its plan to use ICE, hybrid, and electric powertrains across its range (Lotus press release). Hybrids are expected to take most of the focus.

Hybrid‑X and the Type 135

Lotus is proud of the Hybrid‑X technology found in the China version of the Eletre, the Eletre X (Engadget coverage). The Eletre is the SUV Lotus markets as capable of being driven around a track like a sports car.

Hybrid‑X will also be a key pillar of the new Type 135, a supercar expected to debut in 2028. The Type 135 will be an all‑new flagship equipped with a hybrid V8 capable of 986 hp, which is hoped to be manufactured in Europe.

Emira Update

Given this pivot, Lotus is gearing up to announce an update to its last gas‑powered car, the Emira, in the coming weeks. The company says the update will showcase “the most powerful and lightest Emira built,” catering to continued demand for gas‑powered sports cars.

Future Outlook

The announcement also outlines a new vision for the company in the run‑up to the end of the decade, with reduced expectations. Back in the optimistic pre‑2020 days, Geely aimed for Lotus to sell 150,000 units a year (Engadget article). Now the target is scaled down to 30,000 units, aiming for sustained profitability despite annual sales sometimes measuring less than 10,000.

The unification of Lotus’s UK and Chinese divisions is expected to help speed up the company’s ability to innovate, delivering the mix of ICE, hybrid, and electric models outlined in Focus 2030.