Lotus is pivoting towards hybrid powertrains and will build a new hybrid-V8-powered supercar, currently known as the Type 135 – and rumoured to be a new Esprit – under its new Focus 2030 business strategy. It comes eight years after the marque’s ambitions to become an all-electric brand under the Vision80 strategy.
Launched in 2018, Vision80 committed Lotus to become fully electric in time for its 80th anniversary in 2028, alongside a tenfold increase in production and a new factory in Wuhan, China. The Emira sports car, unveiled in 2021, was billed as the final petrol-powered car the Hethel-based marque would ever build.
Facing what it describes as ‘external headwinds,’ Lotus has been forced to replace Vision80 with Focus 2030, a more flexible multi-powertrain approach spanning pure ICE, hybrid and battery electric vehicles.
For enthusiasts, the most exciting part of the new strategy is undoubtedly Type 135. Slated for reveal in 2028, the hybrid-V8-powered supercar will produce in excess of 986bhp (1000ps) and is expected to be manufactured in Europe.
Lotus has confirmed the Emira will remain in production alongside the Type 135 – despite being intended as the marque’s last petrol-powered sports car. An updated version, promised to be the most powerful and lightest Emira yet, is currently in development.
Focus 2030 outlines how Lotus sees China as its primary volume market, Europe as the home of its motor racing heritage, North America as anchored around sportscars and SUVs, and Asia Pacific and the Middle East as targets for growth.
Underpinning the new strategy is Lotus’ closer integration with its owner, major Chinese manufacturer Geely. The integration will see Lotus UK and its Chinese sister company, Lotus Technology, merge into a single entity. The process is expected to complete later this year, with Lotus targeting annual sales of 30,000 vehicles once its full model line-up is in place.
‘Lotus was born from the rebellious spirit of Colin Chapman, and that is not lost today,’ said Lotus Group CEO Qingfeng Feng. ‘Focus 2030 will reset both the brand and the business to keep us true to our DNA. We are obsessed with engineering, obsessed with performance and obsessed with building drivers’ cars, and that is what will grow this business.’
