Lotus Eletre Electric SUV: It has come as a way to counter recent sales of electric vehicles (EVs); Lotus has called for all its future models to include hybrid powertrains. This transition was disclosed by the chief executive of the British car maker at the Guangzhou Auto Show, China. Again according to our sister publication Autocar UK this change means that Lotus will not longer aim at achieving an all electric car company by 2028, a plan that the company had earlier on set.
Lotus Super Hybrid Tech Work
Out of the hybrid powertrain development, Lotus Group’s CEO, Feng Qingfeng, said that the powertrain development would be coupled with technology called ‘Super Hybrid’. This makes it an innovative technology that combines a turbocharged combustion engine with plug-in charging at high speeds, thus enabling more than 1,000 km total range.
While Qingfeng has not dedicated certain models that will use this hybrid drivetrain, it is expected that the Eletre SUV, Emeya sedan and a new SUV targeting the Porsche Macan category are among those set to benefit.
Slow EV Adoption In The Luxury Segment- Says Lotus CEO
Lotus CEO in an interview with Wall Street Journal said that the company will rely on the best power technologies such as gasoline electric/ hybrid and extended range EVs. He pointed to PHEV and range-extender hybrids as the new choice in China, which is why car makers are shifting their models accordingly.
Feng also mentioned that Electric Vehicles adoption rate in the luxury segment in which Lotus Bingo operates is still low due to many customers’ preference for ICE cars. He also opines that mass adoption of electric cars may not be as easily felt in this segment of the market. He further added ‘The luxury car engine is already packed and punchy and the feeling with eight-cylinder and twelve-cylinder is still top-notch,” he noted.
Mr. Feng said that at the beginning of the use of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Lotus failed to adopt them because their drivability was lower than that of pure electric systems. True H Extended hybrids enhance electric consumption, yet may slow down when battery power is low. To address this, Lotus intends to use ICE to charge battery for a shorter times as compared to usual hybrids to minimize the dependency of ICE.
At present, Lotus is preparing its lineup of new cars and SUVs for release on the global market. Currently in India, the company is selling only the Eletre SUV.
