Lotus Demos Evija Hypercar

The all-new Lotus Evija electric hypercar has five drive settings.

Lotus Evija EV demonstration vehicle (Image: Lotus)

In Range and City modes, the EV generates about 1,000 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque.

But that’s only about half as good as it gets. If drivers really want to let loose, they can switch to Tour or Sport mode.

Want more? Try kicking it up another notch—way up—to the ultimate Track mode, which delivers on Evija’s claims of being the world’s most powerful production car…providing nearly 2,000 hp.  

Track Time

Lotus demonstrated all five modes in a new teaser video featuring Gavan Kershaw, director of vehicle attributes, behind the wheel of a prototype Evija on the company’s test track at its headquarters complex in Hethel, England.

Here’s how Lotus describes the progressive power deployment of the five modes.

• Range: Power is limited to 985 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque, with the car defaulting to rear-wheel drive to maximize driving range.
• City: Provides greater power control and decreases regenerative braking in the city for a smoother low-speed ride.
• Tour: Automatically switches between all- and rear-wheel drive, delivering more than 1,380 hp plus torque-vectoring capabilities.
• Sport: Kicks out 1,676 hp and 1,254 lb-ft linked to stability control systems to increase traction levels.
• Track: The most extreme mode, boosting power delivery to the maximum 1,972 hp and the highest level of torque-vectoring with the Evija’s “drag reduction system” available on request.

Powered by four electric motors, the car can sprint from zero to 62 mph in less than three seconds and hit 186 mph in under nine seconds. Top speed is listed at more than 200 mph.

Inside Look, Visible Battery

The new video also provides a peek inside the Evija and showcases the car’s 70-kWh battery. The latter is housed in a see-through compartment directly behind the seats to help optimize weight distribution.

Gavan Kershaw takes the Evija for a spin. 

The Spartan interior sports a digital instrument cluster, motorsports-inspired rectangular steering wheel and a video display in place of a traditional rearview mirror. Drivers also can view performance attributes such as energy consumption, downforce, tire pressure and lap times.

Codenamed the Type 130, the new EV measures 181 inches long, 79 inches wide and 44 inches tall. The use of a carbon fiber monocoque chassis keeps weight down to about 3,700 lbs.

What’s Next?

The Evija’s introduction has been postponed about five months, from late this year until next spring, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Production of the hand-built model will be limited to 130 units. Pricing starts at about $2.6 million.