LOTUS EVIJA
conducted to develop and validate these
aspects and more.
Key to the Evija’s performance is a 2000kW
battery from supplier Williams as part of a
joint venture with Lotus on advanced
propulsion technologies. Mounted centrally
behind the passenger compartment and visible
through a rear glass screen, Lotus says this
battery positioning provides advantages in
“aerodynamics, packaging, weight distribution,
occupant comfort and dynamic handling. It
also supports fast and convenient servicing and
maintenance… and the set-up has been
designed so that in the future alternative
battery packs – for example, to optimize track
performance – can be easily installed.”
A bespoke in-line axial arrangement of two
high-power density e-motors – from supplier
Integral Powertrain – feature integrated silicon
carbide inverters and epicyclic transmission on
each axle of the four-wheel drive powertrain.
Another supplier, Xtrac, provides four very
compact and light single-speed, helical gear
ground planetary gearboxes to transfer power
to each driveshaft. Only 100mm in depth, each
gearbox is packaged with the e-motor and
inverter as a single cylindrical Electrical Drive
Unit (EDU) and is targeting 500hp per e-motor.
These four e-motors enable torque-vectoring
in a fully-automatic and self-adjusting system,
and are able to distribute power to any
combination of two, three or four wheels
within fractions of a second. ESP stability
66 // July 2019 // www.electrichybridvehicletechnology.com
the world’s fi rst to use laser lights on both
main and dipped beams – from Osram – and
the fi rst Lotus to provide its drivers with a full
package of connected infotainment with
over-the-air software updates made possible by
an on-board modem. There will even be a
Lotus smartphone app to check charge,
pre-heat cabins and more.
All in all, this stunning tech-laden electric
new hypercar, and the new vehicle range it
heralds – both EV and internal combustionengined
– are miles from the hype of Lotus’s
last attempted re-birth in that infamous
moment at the 2010 Paris Motorshow when
fi ve concept cars were unveiled but none made
it any further. As Popham optimistically but
realistically concludes: “In fi ve years’ time, I
would hope that the industry sees Lotus as a
successful 75-year-old company. The fallow
period will be forgotten, because you’ll
actually see some great innovative
new product, and Lotus as a
substantive player around
the world.”
control provides reassurance and
the electro-hydraulic steering the
sort of sporting feel Lotus has
traditionally been known for.
Breaking boundaries
Each Evija is being built on a
one-piece carbon fi ber monocoque
chassis supplied by Modena,
Italy-based composite experts
CPC. A class-leading overall
weight of 1680kg (3,700Ibs) has
been targeted and given the brand’s obsession
with weight-saving – as Windle puts it,
“Lightweight is in our DNA ” – expect that
fi gure to be achieved. Lotus says the Evija’s
four-radiator cooling package will allow seven
minutes in full-power Track mode without any
‘derate’ and that the powertrain can operate at
98% e ciency, which, claims Windle, sets “new
standards for engineering excellence.” The
Evija’s motorsport-derived suspension has
three adaptive spool-valve dampers for each
axle (two corner dampers and a third to control
heave). Mounted in-board to optimize aero
performance they are made by supplier
Multimatic. Magnesium wheels are 20in at the
front and 21in rears and wear Trofeo R tires
supplied by Pirelli. AP Racing provides the
brakes with carbon ceramic discs front
and rear.
Of the tech aspects CEO Popham
mentioned necessary for Lotus’s
authentic comeback, the speed of the
Evija’s re-charge breaks new
boundaries with a battery futureproofed
to accept an 800kW charge.
No charging units are yet able to
facilitate this but when they do, Lotus
says nine minutes to 100% full will be
possible. Using the most powerful
current 350kW technology the Evija
should reach 80% in 12 minutes, 100% in
18 minutes and have a full range of 250
miles (WLTP cycle). The Evija will also be
6
8
7
6. Aerodynamics is a
major focus of the Evija’s
design and features a
‘porous’ airfl ow concept
where air fl ows through
the car for downforce
7. With a power dense
electric system on-board,
its total 1,680kg weight
makes it the lightest pure
electric hypercar ever to
go into series production
8. Lotus claims the Evija
will be capable of
accepting a 800kW
charge when available
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