Lotus to take-on Tesla Superchargers with its own ultra-rapid EV charging network

Lotus is launching its own network of super-rapid electric-car chargers, with the first European sites due to go live towards the middle of next year. The chargers, rated at up to 450kW, will be among the fastest available and capable of adding 88 miles of range in “approximately five minutes” to the brand’s flagship Lotus Eletre R.

The first chargers are already operating in China, and are expected to be rolled out to the “majority of European countries” as well as in the Middle East, from Q2 2024. Lotus says further market availability will be announced in due course.

Alan Wang, Vice-President of Lotus Technology and CEO at Lotus Flash Charge, said: “As more governments are increasing investment into electrification in their journey to net-zero, the demand for a reliable electric vehicle charging infrastructure has never been higher than before. Lotus has developed best-in-class fast charging solutions to deliver a quick and reliable charging experience to meet customer needs.”

Lotus says “any electric vehicle can use the new liquid-cooled EV solutions” – suggesting the network will be open to all makes and models, including the fast-expanding range of Lotus EVs. Just one car – the Eletre SUV – has been launched so far but the Emeya electric GT has recently been revealed, and there is promise of a smaller SUV model on the horizon. Lotus is set to become an electric-only brand by 2028.

In addition to its proposed public network, Lotus has revealed a ‘Liquid-Cooled Power Cabinet’, which will run alongside its high-power chargers. This setup will enable sites to provide peak power at times of high demand – working in conjunction with Lotus’s ‘Liquid-Cooler Charging Unit’, which is capable of charging up to four electric cars at once.

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