Wait, what?
British performance marque Lotus, the purveyors of speed & lightness, are allegedly working on a new model that will only keep to one of those tenets. Project Omega, as it’s being billed, will be a £2-million hypercar that runs silently on battery-electric power alone, and will serve as a statement of intent by its new minders, Geely.
Sources say that the Omega will be the very fastest, and most expensive Lotus in history. They didn’t however mention that it’ll also be the heaviest, given that despite the great leaps & bounds that innovation into battery technology has made, they still weigh as much as a small planet.
*Lotus 414E REEV Concept
The project is said to be alive and well within the brand’s ancestral home of Norfolk, with a concept car previewing the full-EV due next year. It’ll utilise a bespoke electric drivetrain and perhaps set the precedent for future Lotus vehicles. Further details are few and far between reports Autocar, but there’s no doubt that Omega will push Lotus into a whole new playing field, into the rarified world of hypercars.
To ensure its success, Lotus will have to see that the Omega manages to best the best in the performance-EV space, which means having to go up against the Nio EP9, the latest Rimac C_2, and definitely leave the Polestar 1 for dead. Additionally, it will need to come equipped with the sort of technology expected of EVs today, like rapid-charging and a driving range in excess of 400km.
*2010 Lotus Esprit Concept – Geneva Motor Show
The Omega, when it lands, will be a very limited machine. It’s unsure if Lotus will be able to eke a profit out of it at all, but that doesn’t really matter. As a statement of intent, Lotus will show to the world that with its new Chinese backers, it is ready to position itself at the forefront of the performance-marque pack. With the engineering abilities exemplified by the Omega and the cash likely to come pouring in with the new SUV, Lotus is set to enjoy a decade of hitherto-unseen growth ahead of it. And boy, are we excited.
For the best deals on a new Lotus, check out our Showroom.
