Photo: Lotus Cars
Lotus has been diligently preparing us for its upcoming new horizons by announcing the impending retirement of the Elise, Exige, and Evora – some of them having already been upgraded with proper Final Editions. It has also heralded the upcoming introduction of an all-new sports car series (Type 131), but we certainly didn’t expect the company to dream an EV endurance racer for the 2030 decade.
Still, here is the E-R9, which for now is just a “dramatic new design study for a next-generation pure electric endurance racer.” Not exactly the EV we were expecting as more and more automakers are embracing the zero-emissions revolution, but hopefully, the company is very serious when claiming this render is also a showcase of “innovation in powertrains and aerodynamics.”
It’s naturally dressed up to honor Lotus’ well-known Formula One legacy, with the black and gold livery a clear reminder of the company’s motorsport heritage that includes no fewer than 13 championship titles in F1. But it’s also geared towards a futuristic appearance, as the brand hints at aeronautical inspiration with the “fighter jet-style canopy centrally mounted in a delta-wing upper body.”
The E-R9 is also a collaborative project between Lotus Cars and the Lotus Engineering consultancy division, while the name can be explained as Endurance Racer Number 9. The latter is another reference to motorsport glory (this time it’s honoring the Mark IX, the car that Lotus used to debut at the 1955 edition of Le Mans).
Two of the most important Lotus officials have also worked on the E-R9: Richard Hill, the company’s aero boss; and Louis Kerr, the Lotus Evija engineering guru and the technical director of Geely Group Motorsports International. As far as the styling is concerned, it was handled by Russell Carr (the Lotus design director) and his team.
Lotus hasn’t advanced exact specifications for this endurance racing vision; instead, it said the advanced electric powertrain the E-R9 would use in 2030 has independently-driven wheels (most likely a quad-motor setup), enhanced with torque vectoring, while the battery is hot-swappable during pitstops.
It’s naturally dressed up to honor Lotus’ well-known Formula One legacy, with the black and gold livery a clear reminder of the company’s motorsport heritage that includes no fewer than 13 championship titles in F1. But it’s also geared towards a futuristic appearance, as the brand hints at aeronautical inspiration with the “fighter jet-style canopy centrally mounted in a delta-wing upper body.”
The E-R9 is also a collaborative project between Lotus Cars and the Lotus Engineering consultancy division, while the name can be explained as Endurance Racer Number 9. The latter is another reference to motorsport glory (this time it’s honoring the Mark IX, the car that Lotus used to debut at the 1955 edition of Le Mans).
Two of the most important Lotus officials have also worked on the E-R9: Richard Hill, the company’s aero boss; and Louis Kerr, the Lotus Evija engineering guru and the technical director of Geely Group Motorsports International. As far as the styling is concerned, it was handled by Russell Carr (the Lotus design director) and his team.
Lotus hasn’t advanced exact specifications for this endurance racing vision; instead, it said the advanced electric powertrain the E-R9 would use in 2030 has independently-driven wheels (most likely a quad-motor setup), enhanced with torque vectoring, while the battery is hot-swappable during pitstops.
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