The Lotus Concept 1 is a futuristic vision that outlines the Chinese-British automaker’s future trajectory. The reveal highlights Lotus’s newfound emphasis on the software aspect of electric vehicles and autonomous driving capabilities, as Concept 1 features a comprehensive system incorporating four deployable Lidars, the Nvidia Drive platform, and Level 4 autonomous driving hardware functionality.
The Lotus Concept 1 is a sleek, three-seat supercar built upon a lightweight carbon fibre chassis. The vehicle measures 4,490 millimeters in length, peaks at 1,140 millimeters in height, and stretches 3,000 millimeters across in width, with a substantial 2,650-millimeter wheelbase.
According to Lotus, the vehicle’s weight comes in at approximately 1,600 kilograms, or roughly 3,500 pounds.
The EV’s electric powertrain relies on a robust 70-kilowatt-hour battery, providing an impressive driving range of up to 402 kilometers (250 miles) under various WLTP testing scenarios. Twin electric motors deliver a potent 987 horsepower, allowing the vehicle to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in a mere 2.5 seconds. The Concept 1 is an all-wheel-drive vehicle boasting a top speed of 320 km/h (200 mph), showcasing its exceptional performance capabilities.
As Ben Payne, Vice President of Design, declared, “Building upon Lotus’ rich 76-year legacy, we’ve taken everything we’ve learned and pushed the limits of what it means to drive a high-performance vehicle with Concept 1.”
The assisted driving features are built upon the robust Nvidia Drive compute platform, serving as the technological foundation for Lotus’ renowned Lotusware capabilities. The Concept 1 boasts L4-grade hardware capabilities, comprising four deployable lidars, six high-definition cameras, and a diverse array of sensors, including long-range and short-range millimetre wave radar systems, as well as ultrasonic radar technologies.
The Chinese automaker Geely Group, owner of the iconic British brand Lotus, has been producing its electric vehicles (EVs) on a large scale in China. The luxury brand’s offerings include the Lotus Eletre SUV and Emeya sedan, both built on the EPA platform, a modified version of the SEA platform sourced from Geely.
The third electric vehicle, set for production and delivery beginning in 2023.
No official information has been released regarding manufacturing, but it’s anticipated that models based on the Lotus Concept 1 concept will be mass-produced at Geely’s Wuhan plant, which commenced production in 2021 and currently manufactures the Lotus Eletre and Emeya for export markets.
