Lotus Type 134 is Porsche Macan-rivalling small electric SUV

Lotus will launch the Type 134 as a small SUV that will become the entry point to the firm's revamped line-up and follow the launch of the Type 133 saloon next year.

Lotus commercial boss Mike Johnstone said the company expects the Type 134 to account for half of its annual sales by 2028, which would put the model at about 75,000 units per year.

Read more: Lotus Electre review

The Geely-owned firm has yet to reveal firm details of the machine, but Johnstone hinted that it will use a different platform, which is likely to be a variant of the EPA architecture intended for smaller models.

It will be less than five metres long, most likely giving it similar dimensions to the Polestar 4 and making it a rival to the upcoming Porsche Macan EV. The Type 134 will share technology with the Lotus Eletre and Type 133, although its more affordable positioning and more compact size could mean that it features smaller battery options.

As with the Eletre, there is expected to be a strong focus on aerodynamics to optimise range and performance, which is likely to result in a rakish, coupé-esque roofline.

While the Type 134 will be tasked with delivering the bulk of Lotus’s planned sales growth, Johnstone insisted that making sure it maintains the firm’s core philosophy of performance and driving dynamics will be at the core of development. 

“A lot of effort has gone into ensuring the future cars that we introduce to the market handle in a way that you would expect a Lotus to handle,” said Johnstone. “Take Eletre: the attributes team have been involved in its development, people who understand what a Lotus should feel like and drive. 

It isn’t just an electrified SUV with a Lotus badge on it: it’s been engineered from the beginning to look, feel and drive like a Lotus.”