The open road calls out and roars to life from behind the wheel of a Lotus hypercar, but things could look different going forward as the luxury British automaker just unveiled the new Theory 1 Concept EV in bold fashion.
The new all-electric Lotus Theory 1 joins the new “Lotus Theory” design manifesto that now rests (or rather, speeds) alongside super-SUVs like the Lotus Emeya in rather impressive fashion. The 986-horsepower, All-Wheel-Drive powertrain vehicle carries on the company’s distinctive wedge-shaped silhouette, but with a few more bells and whistles (suffice to say).
The Lotus Theory 1 concept electric vehicle looks not unlike something favored by Bruce Wayne, but the difference truly resides in the details, including the use of recycled in the build of the handsome automobile.
With a top speed of 199 MPH, the Theory 1 concept boasts even more pick-up than its already powerful predecessors like the Emeya — that SUV, for instance, hits 62 mph in under 2.8 seconds, while the Theory 1 concept reaches that speed in under 2.5 seconds, the automaker notes.
Although what’s underneath the hood is impressive enough (not to mention its 70 kWh EV battery system), the interior is just as striking in form and function. The auto manufacturer developed the LOTUSWEAR system for a customized interior experience, built around inflatable pods (housed within the seating system) that provide haptic feedback and road indicators to the driver in real-time.
Even the door system takes a proprietary design approach, and the overall effect is not unlike sitting in an ultra-sleek, road-ready race car (at least, if an early look is to be believed). It’s a fitting system given the Lotus legacy of Formula 1 performance, with a lineup that also includes the imposing Evija, a rather insane vehicle known as the world’s most powerful street-legal car.
KEF audio rounds out the sleek, stylish interior with high-quality sound, and the automobile is further rounded out with a 360-degree autonomous driving system. And yet, given the envy-inducing power within the stunning new EV concept, it’s a safe bet drivers will want full control over the groundbreaking new vehicle concept — details are mum as to public availability of the latest and greatest from Lotus, but it’s a wish list-worthy ride all the same.