ICE seems to be back on the menu at Lotus with what it currently dubs its ‘Super Hybrid’ future.
6 years back in 2018, Lotus had proudly announced that it aims to become an all-electric automaker by 2028. Fast forward to 6 years later though and the British automaker is currently back-tracking slightly on this target, with its future models to apparently still retain at least some petrol in its veins for a little while longer.
Now this decision in returning to suckling at the teat of internal combustion seemingly comes from the boss man himself at Hethel, with CEO Feng Qingfeng since confirming that much to reporters at the recent Guangzhou motor show in China. Though for those die-hard petrolheads who are hoping for Lotus to now return to its lightweight pure ICE roots, it should be worth noting here then that the automaker is currently looking to pivot to the half-way house of plug-in and range-extending hybrids instead.
In fact, it has been reported that Lotus is apparently in the midst of developing what has been dubbed its ‘Super Hybrid’ technology. This upcoming electrified powertrain is said to combine a 900 V super-fast charging architecture and a turbocharged ICE component, with the end result supposedly being mega performance and a range of 1,100 km between trips to the pumps/plug.
This future ‘Super Hybrid’ powertrain has further been promised by the CEO to overcome the “sluggishness” on a car relying on ICE power alone, by ensuring the engine can charge the battery at a much faster rate than in other range-extending hybrids. This future platform’s apparent 900 V electrical architecture meanwhile will see it also have the ability to “flash-charge” the car’s drive batteries at a rate faster even than that of battery-swapping.
Lotus apparently originally rejected going with PHEV powertrains when electing to go down its initial EV path, due to their compromises compared with pure-electric systems in terms of drivability. The current shift in consumer demand away from pure EVs to plug-in or range-extending hybrids however has since forced various automakers, especially those in the higher end of the market, to refocus model development.
It is thus far unclear which models Lotus intends to equip with its new hybrid tech, but the chances are higher for this electrified setup to go in their upcoming more passenger-focused offerings than an all-new driver-centric sports car. With their switch back to accepting ICE however, it could hence mean that there is now at least a higher chance that there might just be something small, light and ICE to join its lineup in the future too.
