Photo: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien
With the Eletre out of the way, as production is scheduled to commence in China, at the Wuhan factory, later this year, Lotus can now concentrate on expanding its electric vehicle portfolio. And since they already have a zero-emission crossover in their lineup, they are now preparing a sedan.
Believed to have been christened the Envya, the all-quiet electric model kind of looks like a less tall Eletre, with similar double-headlamp signature up front, recessed door handles, cameras instead of traditional mirrors, and familiar lighting signature out back. Overall, it has sleek proportions, emphasized by the roof that was slightly arched towards the rear, giving it a sportier touch.
Opening the door will reveal a common cabin, or so it is said anyway, because the touchscreen infotainment system and the digital instrument cluster are expected to be shared with the battery-electric crossover. The same may apply to other stuff, like the bench or individual seats when it comes to those sitting at the rear, and perhaps some buttons. The British automaker could draw the line at the upholstery and trim, but that’s pure assumption at this point.
You can bet your bottom dollar on the fact that the Envya, if they really end up calling it that, will feature lots of technology gear. It is also understood to launch with semi-autonomous driving capability, with a Level 3 system that will make the daily commute far more enjoyable. Drivers will also be assisted on the go by a multitude of safety systems.
Set to rival the likes of the Porsche Taycan, as well as the BMW i5, Mercedes EQE, and Audi e-tron GT, the Lotus Envya has to be seriously good in order to steal some customers from its direct challengers in the zero-emission business sedan segment. Whether it will be or not could be very subjective at this point, considering that no one outside the automaker has had the chance to put it through its paces yet.
Engineers were out testing the pictured prototype in Europe’s frozen north, and that’s where our spy photographers spotted it. Wearing lots of camouflage, it appears to have relied on diesel power towards the end of the testing session, as it had to be towed away by an Iveco – or so it seems anyway. Hopefully, Lotus will deal with all the issues long before they put it in production.
The official unveiling date has yet to be announced, and if the latest reports are correct, then the Envya will be based on the same platform as the Eletre, thus making it possible to share some (if not all) its powertrains, including the 900+ hp from the R-spec that will inevitably take on the likes of the 1,000-hp Taycan.
Opening the door will reveal a common cabin, or so it is said anyway, because the touchscreen infotainment system and the digital instrument cluster are expected to be shared with the battery-electric crossover. The same may apply to other stuff, like the bench or individual seats when it comes to those sitting at the rear, and perhaps some buttons. The British automaker could draw the line at the upholstery and trim, but that’s pure assumption at this point.
You can bet your bottom dollar on the fact that the Envya, if they really end up calling it that, will feature lots of technology gear. It is also understood to launch with semi-autonomous driving capability, with a Level 3 system that will make the daily commute far more enjoyable. Drivers will also be assisted on the go by a multitude of safety systems.
Set to rival the likes of the Porsche Taycan, as well as the BMW i5, Mercedes EQE, and Audi e-tron GT, the Lotus Envya has to be seriously good in order to steal some customers from its direct challengers in the zero-emission business sedan segment. Whether it will be or not could be very subjective at this point, considering that no one outside the automaker has had the chance to put it through its paces yet.
Engineers were out testing the pictured prototype in Europe’s frozen north, and that’s where our spy photographers spotted it. Wearing lots of camouflage, it appears to have relied on diesel power towards the end of the testing session, as it had to be towed away by an Iveco – or so it seems anyway. Hopefully, Lotus will deal with all the issues long before they put it in production.
The official unveiling date has yet to be announced, and if the latest reports are correct, then the Envya will be based on the same platform as the Eletre, thus making it possible to share some (if not all) its powertrains, including the 900+ hp from the R-spec that will inevitably take on the likes of the 1,000-hp Taycan.
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