Lotus teases looks for its first fully electric SUV
Words: Matthew Hansen
Few brands are set to change as much in the short to medium-term future as Lotus. While the marque has repeatedly underscored a focus on no-compromise sports cars, it’s now set to do a 180 of sorts and reveal an SUV.
As reported previously, Lotus is set to go fully electric in the coming years, with the new Emira its last pure internal combustion engine car. It’s already confirmed that it will be releasing two new electric SUVs, an electric sports sedan, and an electric sports car by 2026 … as well as the much anticipated Evija.
By the looks of things, the first electric SUV isn’t too far away. The marque has released its first teaser imagery of what it calls the Type 132, which is set to be launched in 2022.
The teaser comes in the form of a brief video, titled ‘Breathe’, showing a portion of the car’s grille dressed up in camouflage. The grille features an active shutter system that’s shown in the video, allowing the car to gulp in air when its powertrain requires, and to shut its perforations when it wants a slipperier profile.
Lotus notes that the feature is an “authentic Lotus air management solution with a dual purpose – for cooling and for enhanced frontal aerodynamics.”
Apart from the shutter tech, the video and paired image also show a gratuitous amount of carbon fibre and a fairly aggressive looking splitter arrangement. It’s expected that the Type 132 will be fairly rapid, with Lotus previously teasing that its electric vehicle range will be capable of accelerating to 100km/h in less than three seconds.
The firm has also previously teased that it will use 92-120kWh battery packs with its vehicles built on its new electric platform, allowing for solid range figures and 800-volt charging tech to reduce charging waiting times.
If your inner purist is still on the fence about Lotus making an SUV, it’s worth noting the recent case study of Aston Martin. The British firm recently detailed that its new DBX performance SUV outsold all of its other nameplates combined in the third quarter of 2021, allowing the once embattled brand to reclaim profits.
