Lotus Unveils 987 HP Future Car
Lotus Presents Theory 1: A Future Car with 987 Horsepower
Introduction
Planning Lotus to demonstrate its historical expertise and promote increased power, reduced weight, and sporty driving in its future all-electric vehicles, the company has presented a new concept called “Theory 1.” This concept shows a two-door sports car with 987 horsepower, all-wheel drive, and a target weight of less than 3,500 pounds.
Design and Features
Theory 1 represents the future design of the Lotus. Its design is said to be inspired by the Esprit, with the sharp, wedge-shaped body leading to a defined front end with slim, boomerang-shaped headlights. The design follows the front cabin shape that recalls the Esprit’s mid-engine design, but the rear looks downright bizarre, with extremely slim taillights, a long, adjustable wing, and a massive diffuser. The most striking part are the doors, which swing back and up, similar to the two-dimensional spiral doors of a Koenigsegg.
Interior and Technology
At the base of the Theory 1 is a carbon chassis with three seats: a central seat for the driver, and one on each side for the passengers, resembling the seating configuration in a McLaren F1. But that’s where the similarities end. Inside, there’s a head-up display and screens next to each A-pillar in place of side mirrors. Oddly, inflatable modules are embedded in the fabric of the seats, doors, and steering wheel, used to massage the occupants and provide haptic feedback to the driver. Even the speakers are built into the headrests of each seat using a 3D-printed mesh structure.
The most exciting part of the Theory 1’s interior is its “on-demand” buttons. Formed by what’s described as an “interactive fabric” covering surfaces in the cabin, the buttons can appear when needed and disappear when not.
Performance and Battery
At the heart of the Theory 1 is a 70.0 kWh battery, which Lotus hopes will provide a range of up to 250 miles. The company also expects the car to be able to accelerate from 0 to 62 miles in less than 2.5 seconds, and reach a top speed of 200 miles per hour.
Conclusion
The 987-horsepower rating is significantly lower than Lotus’s other electric car, the Evija, which has 2,000 horsepower. It’s also about 660 pounds lighter than the Evija — a glimmer of hope that the company is reorienting itself back to its core philosophy of building lightweight sports cars, at least compared to the era of overweight electric cars.
FAQs
Q: What is the inspiration behind the design of Theory 1?
A: The design of Theory 1 is inspired by the Esprit, with a sharp, wedge-shaped body and a defined front end with slim, boomerang-shaped headlights.
Q: What is the seating configuration of Theory 1?
A: Theory 1 has a carbon chassis with three seats: a central seat for the driver, and one on each side for the passengers, resembling the seating configuration in a McLaren F1.
Q: What is the range of Theory 1?
A: The company hopes that the 70.0 kWh battery will provide a range of up to 250 miles.
Q: What is the top speed of Theory 1?
A: The company expects the car to be able to reach a top speed of 200 miles per hour.