Lotus EV

[vfx]

Does the Zytek from '97 count?
The Sunday Times: Innovation:

 

[malcolm]

Does the Zytek from '97 count?

If we're allowing the Dodge Lotus mule then I don't see why not. Interesting article and could help explain why Lotus were so interested in Martin's proposal six years later.

"Our aim is to make electric cars desirable, not just necessary through government mandate," says Bill Gibson, a director of Zytek Automotive, the West Midlands company behind the project. "The Lotus Elise forms an ideal test bed for high-performance electric-vehicle technology."

The Lotus Elise was chosen for the project because its strong, lightweight construction is similar to a racing car, and hence complications such as power-assisted brakes and steering could be avoided, while even the additional weight of the battery packs would still not result in an overly heavy vehicle.

The final weight is about 875kg, giving an estimated 0-60mph time of 6 1/2 seconds, and a 30-70mph overtaking time of 5 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 90mph to conserve power and extend the range to 120 miles. A one-hour charge will replace 95% of battery power.

 

[vfx]

Pre 2006 Tesla, any Search engine query for an Electric car would only come up with the EV1 or this one.

Those were dark days.

 

[TEG]

More on the Zytek Elise, here...

 

[domenick]

The only other one I can think of is with ZAP, but that's a fake.

There's the Ken Okuyama K.08

The Detroit Electric

The Dale Vince "Wind car" project.

Does the Zytek from '97 count?
The Sunday Times: Innovation:

This one is pretty cool. I just stumbled across it yesterday. I wonder if there are any surviving samples of that kicking about.

 

[dpeilow]

Lotus possibly delays new Esprit to 2011, may add hybrid drive - AutoblogGreen

 

[TEG]

Hmm... What's Lotus really up to? Could a "mild hybrid V8 Esprit" be their rumored "EV?". Will they also do a series hybrid ("REEV") or full BEV version of the Evora? I guess we have to wait until March (Geneva show) to really find out.

With Tesla out of my price range, and the Esprit sounding very upmarket, I hope they do something a bit more affordable. An Evora with a Toyota Synergy drive drivetrain could be interesting if they did that.

 

[TEG]

Lotus releases package and content details on the 2010 Evora


Lotus Evora - Click above for high-res gallery

Is this the vehicle they plan to offer as a hybrid or EV?

 

[TEG]

Lotus Targets Tesla With EV of Its Own | Autopia from Wired.com

Lotus, the iconic British automaker that helped Tesla Motors and Chrysler develop their electric cars, is building a high-performance battery-powered sports car of its own and says we could see a prototype in March.

Lotus could convert an Evora with relative ease: It's a 2+2 with a mid-engine design, so there is plenty of room for a battery pack if Lotus yanks out the back seat like BMW did with the Mini-E. It's also a sleek, sexy car that would make EVs appealing to the sports-car set.

...the electric Lotus may debut at the Geneva auto show in March.

Still no actual announcement of the Lotus EV or Hybrid?

 

[TEG]

Geneva Motor Show preview: Lotus EV concept - Latest Car News from 4Car

Lotus will unveil an electrically-driven concept car at the Geneva Motor Show in March, capable of up to 400 miles on a single tank of petrol.

The vehicle will have a range-extended powertrain similar to the Chevrolet Volt's, with an additional small petrol engine used only as a generator...

 

[TEG]

Green Car Congress: Lotus to Introduce Range Extender Engine

 

[graham]

Interesting. I thought Lotus usually sourced their motors from Toyota. Do they have experience making this kind of thing?

 

[dpeilow]

Yes - Lotus do design and make engines for themselves, but in their volume production cars have historically brought them in.

 

[JRP3]

That big hunk of metal stuck to the back of the electric motor just doesn't look right to me. I don't see a range extender, I see a battery-only range killer :wink:

 

[vfx]

Such a young motor to be afflicted with a Dowager's problem.

 

[JRP3]

Hey, what happened to the recent posts in this thread?

 

[doug]

Hey, what happened to the recent posts in this thread?

The got moved by a mod (rightly so) to here, but I just now more appropriately stuck them here.

 

[JRP3]

I know I've mentioned this before but there really needs to be a link or an email notice when posts are moved so we know where they are and that they haven't been deleted. I looked for those posts but never found them.