Lotus Evora Hybrid unveiled

February 2010

Lotus is going green! This is the first teaser shot of the Evora 414E hybrid - a showcase for the firm’s latest eco technology. It uses the standard Evora chassis, but the petrol-powered drivetrain has been replaced by a plug-in hybrid system backed up by a 47bhp three-cylinder 1.2-litre range extender engine.

Each rear wheel is driven by an electric motor which produces 204bhp, or 207 metric horsepower, hence the car’s name. And because each rear wheel is driven independently, Lotus has been able to develop a sophisticated torque vectoring system, which adjusts the power to each wheel improving stability at speed, increasing manoeuvrability around town and eliminating understeer in cornering.

The motors draw power from lithium polymer batteries which are mid-mounted to optimise the weight distribution. The car can travel 35 miles on electric power alone, and the cells can be recharged overnight from a household plug. For longer journeys, the range extender engine kicks in to increase the range to over 300 miles.

Lotus claims the hybrid will sprint from 0-60mph in under four seconds. To increase driving thrills, the sensation of gearchanges has been engineered in, despite the car only having a single-speed transmission. The 414E also features HALOsonic sound synthesis, which mimics a number of different engine sounds both inside and outside the car.

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