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Lotus EV Platform Finally Confirmed, It's Called LEVA

Lotus had its ups and downs. From a Formula 1 championship-winning team to the financial troubles of the 1980s, the British company has seen them all. A definitive change for the better came in 2017 when Geely bought the Hethel-based company, and the new owner helped Lotus make the Evija hypercar a reality by providing financial stability and a clear vision for the future.
Lotus LEVA 20 photos
Photo: Lotus
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Scheduled to start production in 2021, the all-electric land missile serves as a preview of things to come at Lotus. Thanks to Chinese ownership and Volvo as well as Polestar know-how, the British outfit is planning to roll out multiple electric vehicles on a new platform that is currently known as LEVA.

It’s been years since we heard rumors of this significant change of philosophy at Lotus Cars, but the reason Hethel has waited so long for confirmation is… wait for it… the British government. To the point, taxpayers’ money coming courtesy of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

“This is great news for our industry and its transition to electrification,” said director of engineering Matt Windle. “This project is a key building block in our vision to deliver a full range of electrified performance cars ‘For The Drivers’. Funding of this nature is critical to stimulate the automotive industry and supply chain as both continue to adjust to a rapidly changing landscape.”

Although there are no further details to speak of at the time of writing, we know and also guesstimate a few things about Lightweight Electric Vehicle Architecture. First of all, it is developed in collaboration with supply chain partner Sarginsons Industries and leading academics from Brunel University London. Secondly, rear- and all-wheel drive are in the pipeline. As a brief refresher, the Evija has four e-motors driving both axles with 1,972 horsepower and 1,253 pound-feet of torque combined.

Last, but certainly not least, chief executive officer Phil Popham has suggested that Lotus will skip hybridization in favor of EVs in order to focus most of the R&D budget on full electrification. Word has it that 2022 for the 2023 model year is when the first LEVA-based sports car will be revealed.
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Editor's note: 2022 Lotus Esprit prototype pictured in the gallery.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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