THE LOTUS OF SUVS
2022’s bravest car is a Lotus like no other
1. It will look sensational
In the spring Lotus will unveil its Cayenne-sized battery-electric SUV, codenamed Type 132. If the all-new but reassuringly traditional Emira is the culmination of everything that has gone before, Type 132 is the embodiment of the firm’s future: electric, global, ambitious. And if, after the likes of the Cullinan and Urus, you’re worried the big Lotus will be a hulking affront to everything light, elegant and Chapman, don’t be. Type 132 will be, we’re promised, the Lotus of SUVs, and that extends to the proportions. Reckon on a cabforward body with the dramatic forms and surface language of a supercar, sitting low on big wheels. Evija meets SUV via the talented trio of Russell Carr, Peter Horbury and Ben Payne? We’re in.
2. Aero will be king
With two e-motors, space for five and the big battery required for a competitive range, Type 132 simply cannot be lightweight. But it can be a Lotus aerodynamically. Expect active elements front and rear (middle picture) to balance drag, cooling and performance requirements, and a sculpted overall shape able to cheat more miles from each charge.
3. It’s the work of a dream team
Defined, designed and developed in the UK? Check. Engineered in Germany? Check. Chinese funding, state-of-the-art EV know-how and manufacturing expertise? Check. Safety and assist systems developed in Sweden (including the lidar system pictured)? Check. Type 132 will be a truly global Lotus – in the best possible way.
NEED TO KNOW I What is it? The first Lotus SUV – and it’s electric
I Tech? Twin-motor skateboard platform, lithium-ion battery rated at up to 110kWh, 0-62mph in under 3.0sec for the top-spec version. Oh, and some fiendishly clever driver-assist systems I Aimed at? Anyone keen on the idea of a truly desirable electric SUV I When can I have one? Late 2022