A Hybrid Lotus Emira Could Be On The Table As EV Plans Stagnate

In response to slacking EV demand, Lotus has begun to consider hybridizing its EVs with range extenders in order to cater to premium customers by providing more overall driving range. While this is a blow to the plans of going all-electric, it would hopefully allow the brand some measure of success in markets where luxury EVs have seen struggles, China in particular.

Now it appears that Lotus is approaching hybridization from the internal-combustion end of its lineup, as Autocar reports, potentially extending the life of its Emira sports car and further altering Lotus’ product launch schedule.

Europe CEO Says ‘Never Say Never’

When Autocar asked Lotus’ Europe CEO Dan Balmer whether it could produce an Emira hybrid, he responded, “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.”

Right now,

, which was launched in 2021 as the brand’s final ICE car, has two available powertrains. The first is a turbocharged, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine sourced from Mercedes-AMG, good for 360 horsepower. The upgraded engine is a supercharged 3.5-liter V-6 from Toyota, making 400 horsepower.

Performance Specifications

It’s doubtful that Lotus would use the same “Super Hybrid” technology it’s planning for its EVs in the Emira. That tech is meant to extend the range of EVs by charging the battery with a turbocharged range-extending combustion engine. That tech also combines 900-volt fast-charging architecture.

Instead, it seems more likely that Lotus would employ existing technology meant for traditional hybrid vehicles, but adapted to Lotus’ standards for performance. The two engines the Emira uses already have hybrid versions at their home companies.

A Further Change Of Plans

An Emira hybrid has the potential to further upset Lotus’ previous electrification timeline. Originally, Lotus had intended to go EV-only by 2028. Model delays put that in question, and the “Super Hybrid” news changed the rules on what that would look like, with ICEs on the menu as range extenders. Lotus had intended to replace the Emira with an all-electric coupe, internally called the Type 135, in 2027. With plans for the 135 on hold until smaller, lighter batteries are available, a hybrid Emira could extend the model’s lifespan indefinitely.

It’s hopeful that an all-electric successor to

and Emira still come someday. As former Lotus Chief Commercial Officer Mike Johnstone told Autocar earlier this year, the brand needs its “bullseye. At the very center [of the brand] always has to be that lightweight sports car. That gives you the credibility to build other products that have sporty characteristics.”

For now, it appears that Lotus’ bullseye car will remain the Emira, regardless of whether it goes hybrid.