Agent47 Posted October 21, 2021 Posted October 21, 2021 Lotus is confident it can generate revenues from its new bespoke EV hardware, in much the same way the original Elise’s bonded-aluminium architecture went on to underpin a raft of sports cars from other manufacturers. The best-known Elise-based sports cars are the Vauxhall VX220 and Tesla Roadster, but the platform’s chief engineer, Richard Rackham, estimates there have been “probably 10 times as many”, highlighting that use of Lotus’s expertise is wider than broadcast – and underlining just how influential that lightweight structure was.It’s impressive enough that, adapted for the Exige and Evora, it created a family of Lotus models that kept the firm relevant for the next 25 years. Now Rackham is working on a new Lotus platform for the electric era that could end up matching the Elise underpinnings for both longevity (if required) and for model proliferation, both within Lotus and outside. “We’re way ahead of the game now,” he told Autocar. It can be stretched from the size of the Porsche 718 Cayman to the Ferrari SF90 Stradale and will be offered to anyone. “This platform will underpin many vehicles from different manufacturers,” he confirmed. This is the E-Sports platform, which we already know will underpin a Lotus sports car from 2026 and an Alpine one from 2025. It’s adaptable enough to fit the batteries either behind the driver to keep occupants nice and low or under them to expand the cabin, affording a four-seater. It won’t produce saloons or SUVs, though. That side of the future Lotus range, starting with an electric SUV from next year, will use platforms created by parent company Geely. Although the electric Lotus sports car is still five years away, Rackham and his team have already designed the most complicated bit: the rear structure that supports the battery box, drive unit (with one or two motors) and suspension. Lotus claims this structure is 37% lighter than that of the V6-engined Emira. That’s a 1405kg car, nearly twice as heavy as the 731kg Mk1 Elise of 1996, but comparing the weight of the two is pretty meaningless given how much the market and legislation have changed. The point is that Lotus is innovating again as it looks to convert Geely’s cash into a dynamic electric sports car platform that reduces the impact of heavy batteries as much as possible. One element remains the same: the structure is made of aluminium, mainly because it’s light and the parts can be put together without the need for huge investment. For other car makers, Lotus can supply not just the platform but also the whole electric and electronic architecture, including the infotainment and active safety devices it sources from within Geely. The idea is that the customer designs the body, specifies outputs and for little effort can theoretically start building a car that doesn’t have to be a stripped-out track tool but can be a sophisticated car catering to modern tastes. “This is an entry ticket into vehicle production,” Rackham said. “It’s a wonderful thing to be able to offer it.” Link : https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/analysis-lotus-e-sports-ev-platform-made-sharing
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