Lotus’ future is not limited to large electric SUVs. That’s what the British company, once famous for its lightweight sports cars, would have us believe. And that’s why Lotus has unveiled a surprising new supercar concept, called Theory 1.
To be clear, this is not an electric revival of the Lotus Esprit, the wedge-shaped 1970s icon dumped into the sea by James BondAt least not yet. Lotus fans will notice that its name is not “Type” followed by three numbers, as is tradition for concept cars, nor does it begin with an E, as almost all production Lotuses do. Instead, it’s a way of showcasing the technology Lotus has planned for future cars and, perhaps, a hint at a supercar to come.
Speaking exclusively to WIRED, Lotus vice president of design Ben Payne said: “We wanted to recapture that sense of purity, but not make some sort of pastiche of an Esprit, because that doesn’t make any sense. So it’s more about the spirit of that car, the logic of the design and how controlled the execution is.”
That sense of control is key to every aspect of the Theory 1. Lotus could have given it 2,000bhp to match its flagship Evija, but settled for a more reasonable 987bhp (1,000PS). It could have let its designers run wild with huge aerodynamic structures, ground-effect fans and other hypercar paraphernalia, or indulged in an overdose of concept car tropes like huge touchscreens, artificial intelligence or a drone that takes off from the rear deck.
Instead, Lotus did what it is best known for and, in the apocryphal words of its founder Colin Chapman, “simplified and then added lightness.”
Payne explained: “There’s been a period of maximalism, and people had to outdo each other and outdo themselves, and outdo themselves, and outdo themselves. And I think we’ve reached that point where it plateaus in terms of styling and also in terms of demonstrating technology.” He added: “We’re not in a mad numbers race with this car.”
Really fast, remarkably light
While not crazy fast by 2024 EV standards, Lotus is still promoting the Theory 1 as a very fast supercar. It’s aiming for a 400-kilometre range from a modest 70kWh battery, an all-wheel-drive system with the rear motor bolted directly to the suspension, motorsport-style, a 0-60mph time of under 2.5 seconds, and a top speed of 200mph. Those are all the usual supercar requirements, but it’s nothing Rimac would be losing sleep over, or anywhere near Lotus’s $2.3 million Evija.
More important than outright power is weight. Lotus claims the all-carbon Theory 1 is targeting a weight of less than 1,600kg (3,500lb), or about 300kg lighter than the Evija. To further bolster the weight-saving argument, the car has just 10 “A-surface materials” (i.e. materials you can see and touch without digging beneath the surface), compared with the industry average of 100, according to Lotus. The 10 include cellulose-based fiberglass, chopped carbon fiber, and titanium, as well as recycled forms of glazing, polyester, rubber, and aluminum.
It also has reasonable dimensions compared to modern supercars, with a width of 2,000 mm (78.7 in), a length of 4,490 mm (176.8 in) and a height of 1,140 mm (44.9 in). Add to this relative sensibility the clever and practical doors, three seats and excellent visibility, and it’s easy to imagine what a production version might look like.
