Lotus Names Coming BEV Hypercar

Paul Myles

TU-Editor

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4th July 2019

Lotus’s forthcoming Type 130 BEV hypercar has been dubbed the Evija which will get a partial unveiling at this week’s Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK.

The iconic sports and racing car manufacturer’s move into electric vehicles is hardly a surprise since its takeover by the Chinese auto giant Geely which also is responsible for the Volvo Polestar all-electric premium sub-brand. Automotive pundits have long plotted China’s dominance in pushing BEV technology in line with the nation’s near monopoly of the world’s raw materials to construct lithium-ion batteries.

Due to start production in 2020, the Evija, apparently pronounced ‘ev-eye-a’ (although anyone hailing from Lotus’s traditional East Anglian roots may struggle with that one), is bizarrely named from the Hebrew for ‘the first in existence’ or ‘the living one’. Visitors to Lotus stand will be treated to an “exclusive glimpse” of the car of hidden from general sight but with chosen details viewed through “a light show experience” hinting at its exterior design.

A full unveiling will happen in the UK capital later this month. Since the car’s existence was confirmed at the Shanghai International Auto Show in April, it has been known as the Lotus Type 130 with production limited to a maximum of 130 models constructed at its factory in Hethel, Norfolk.

Lotus Cars CEO Phil Popham said: “The Evija is a Lotus like no other, yet a true Lotus in every sense. It will re-establish our brand on the global automotive stage and pave the way for further visionary models.”

— Paul Myles is a seasoned automotive journalist based in London. Follow him on Twitter @Paulmyles_