Lotus is making a smooth transition towards the electric vehicle era with the Eletre Hyper SUV, and has not made much fuzz about EV concepts, that is until now. This is the Theory 1 EV concept by the UK-based automotive manufacturer that highlights the three core principles of the brand going into the future – Digital, Natural and Analouge.
The “Theory” manifesto entails the exciting future of limitless possibilities coming from the house of Lotus. To start with, Theory 1 underpins the choice of a compact EV sports car having a three-seater layout. Something right out of the McLaren F1 handbook, the concept car focuses on lightweight construction and innovative technology that puts sustainability at the fore.
Designer: Lotus
The main challenge for the design team was to adapt the Challenge of 10, wherein just 10 main A-frame elements were used. Compare that to a typical car frame construction that uses a hundred elements at best. Recycled material like aluminum is used to keep the overall weight down since battery power is at a premium when hauling long distances is concerned. The result is an all-wheel drive vehicle powered by a 987 hp electric drivetrain capable of hurling it from 0-60 mph in under 3 seconds and having a top speed of 200 mph. The EV weighs less than 1,600kg, and features a 70kWh battery pack. Range on the Theory 1 is touted to be 250 miles which is impressive for a performance EV.
The Performance of the sports car is enhanced by the active aero features like the rounded underfloor (That’s so Lotus) to feed the cooling system, side-pods to direct air into the rear diffuser and a cone-inspired front nose to reinstate the brand’s racing heritage. Doors in Theory 1 have the wrap, reverse-opening mechanism which demonstrates that Lotus is not holding back on its future design language.
The three-seater EV with the central driving position focuses on minimalism with its material choice and interface. The 3D printed headrests come with a KEF binaural sound system and active noise canceling tech for each of the occupants to have their private soundscape. One of the most interesting techs seated inside Theory 1 is the LOTUSWEAR developed in collaboration with wearable robotics company MotorSkins. The fluidic feedback of the system includes inflatable controls on the yoke-steering wheel that appear on demand for a tactile driving experience.
