Currently reading: Lotus says 'never say never' to Emira hybrid as it slows all-EV plan

As Lotus adds range-extender options and pushes back EV sports car, Emira could live on with electrification

Lotus could electrify the Emira and extend its lifecycle as the brand moves to hybridise its line-up and pushes back the sports car's long-awaited electric replacement.

It's responding to flagging uptake of electric luxury cars by reducing its sales volume ambitions over the coming years and introducing a new range-extender (REx) powertrain option in a bid to boost the appeal of its EVs. 

The move marks a reversal of Lotus's plan to go all-electric by 2028 and raises questions about the future of its last remaining sports car, which was due to be effectively replaced by an EV equivalent in the coming years. 

Lotus launched the Emira in 2021 as its final pure-combustion car and as an effective replacement for the Evora from which it was evolved. 

The firm has never put an end date on Emira production, but under its now-axed plan to go all-electric, it was due to usher in an EV successor known as the Type 135 in 2027, and it was expected that the Emira would be phased out in kind.

Now, however, Lotus's new European CEO Dan Balmer has suggested the Hethel-built coupé could live on with an electrified powertrain instead. 

Asked about the prospect of an Emira hybrid, he said: "In today's world? 'Never say never' is the current rule, because we have to be open-minded and understand what the marketplace wants and also what technology is available to us at the time. 

"So the potential for hybrid powertrains is there. Equally the potential for all-EV platforms is there. It's just a question of what technology is available for the attributes that we spec in a Lotus."

The Emira is currently available with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine supplied by Mercedes-AMG, producing 360bhp, or a Toyota-derived supercharged petrol V6 with 400bhp.

Both Mercedes and Toyota use these respective units – or at least versions thereof – as part of hybrid powertrains in their own line-ups.

Back to top

The AMG four, for example, is mildly hybridised in the AMG A35 hot hatch, and the Toyota V6 is closely related to that used in hybrids sold in various global markets. 

If an Emira hybrid became reality, Lotus would no doubt extensively modify and retune any third-party components to ensure the coupé's performance and dynamic attributes were retained, but it would at least seem to be technically possible - pending any modifications that need to be made from a structural point of view.

The Anglo-Chinese firm's new 'Hyper Hybrid' REx technology, which it will add to its EV models in 2026 in a bid to drive sales, uses 900V electricals and is compatible with the EPA platform that underpins the Emeya and Eletre, so it's unlikely to find its way into the Emira.

The future for the Emira is especially unclear now that the Type 135 that was due to replace it has been pushed back in line with Lotus’s freeze on new product launches.

Lotus has also been open about the need to wait for new lightweight battery technology to come on stream so that an 'electric Elise' holds true to the dynamic prowess of its petrol forebear. 

Balmer said: "We have to look at the technology available to achieve the attributes that are important to us for those products, and at the right time as well. If we were to do it today, then we don't feel we could achieve that."

Felix Page

Felix Page
Title: Deputy editor

Felix is Autocar's deputy editor, responsible for leading the brand's agenda-shaping coverage across all facets of the global automotive industry - both in print and online.

He has interviewed the most powerful and widely respected people in motoring, covered the reveals and launches of today's most important cars, and broken some of the biggest automotive stories of the last few years. 

Join the debate

Comments
8
Add a comment…
Nick L 30 November 2024

One of the challenges is that they set out their stall to produce high volumes of the Eletre and Emeya in large factories in China and low volumes of the Emira in the relatively small Hethel factory for reasons which were understandable at the time, but both the market (in general) and those of us who consider the Emira to be their core product (in particular) have upset that applecart.  They can't build Emiras fast enough to meet demand.  I ordered a V6 in March 2023 with expected delivery in 60 weeks, but it's been put back to 2026 because they stopped building the V6 about the time mine was due in the spring and are currently only building the four-pots, with build of the V6s due to resume in 2026.  The reason, according to what I consider to be the most reliable source I've consulted (inside Lotus), is that they've been struggling with the supply of V6 engines - which makes sense.

xxxx 29 November 2024

Poor managerment, a tiny car manufacturer like Lotus just did not have to go down this route, at least not for several years.

LP in Brighton 29 November 2024

Lotus living up to its reputation agai - I hope the Chinese have deep pockets. Then again, it is at least producing some cars!

manicm 29 November 2024

Lotus are technically and financially in huge trouble. They apparently haven't delivered a single Evija yet. The Eletre should have been smaller, lighter and more efficient. And nobody is going to buy the Emeya - the world did not need a Taycan competitor.

That leaves the Emira as their staple model - and here too they've made mistakes. You could NEVER buy the car at the promised price in the 60s, they should have ditched the Toyota engine and offered only the AMG engine - with the 400hp version from the get-go. They also should have offered a Spyder/convertible version by now.Dany Bahar is not looking so stupid now, is he?

tuga 29 November 2024
Nah, Dany Bahar and his plans are still pretty stupid.
jason_recliner 30 November 2024
manicm wrote:

Lotus are technically and financially in huge trouble. They apparently haven't delivered a single Evija yet. The Eletre should have been smaller, lighter and more efficient. And nobody is going to buy the Emeya - the world did not need a Taycan competitor.

That leaves the Emira as their staple model - and here too they've made mistakes. You could NEVER buy the car at the promised price in the 60s, they should have ditched the Toyota engine and offered only the AMG engine - with the 400hp version from the get-go. They also should have offered a Spyder/convertible version by now.Dany Bahar is not looking so stupid now, is he?

LMAO! Can you imagine the mess they'd be in if they'd invested the billions required to make the Bahar balls-up?

russ13b 30 November 2024

Yes, Bahar does still look stupid, and don't you think Lotus has a pre-existing supply contract with Toyota to run out? If the Eletre and Emeya are so wrong, why are they selling so well? They can't make cars like the Elan Sprint any more, the world has moved on, they also have to comply with upcoming regulations - which is something many people blissfully ignore.

scrap 30 November 2024

If you think Eletre and Emeya are selling well, please define your sense of failure!

It seems they will deliver fewer than 10,000 combined this year, where their target was 55,000 (or perhaps 150,000 based on their earlier, more optimistic projections).

They've absolutely tanked.