[dF85]

Lotus's proposed supermini has been approved and will be built in partnership with parent company Proton and a third car manufacturer, Lotus chief executive Dany Bahar has told CAR.

'Our city car has been confirmed and will be launched in October 2013,' he said. 'We are doing this together with Proton and another OEM [original equipment manufacturer, or car maker].

The Lotus City Car concept provides a showcase for Lotus Engineering’s Electrical and Electronic Integration and Efficient Performance competencies, featuring an advanced series hybrid drivetrain with the Lotus Range Extender engine. The drivetrain, which consists of a single speed transmission, provides the vehicle with an EV range of 60 km, enough for city transportation, with the Range Extender engine enabling longer trips and alleviating “range anxiety”.

So they reckon a total range of 500 km, with batteries fully charged and the range extender working all along. The range extender engine is a 1.2 liter 3-cylinder ethanol-capable unit which only acts as a generator and never actually powers the wheels.

With a total vehicle weight of less than 1400 kg and 240 Nm of torque instantly available, the Lotus City Car concept has class leading acceleration; 0 – 50 km/h in only 4.5 seconds and 0 – 100 km/h in 9 seconds, when operating as an EV under battery power. The top speed of the Lotus City Car concept is 170 km/h, with a charge sustaining top speed of 120 km/h and all this performance is achieved by a drivetrain that returns CO2 emissions of 60 g/km on the ECE-R101 test schedule.

The very best thing about it though, is the design. It is still tiny, but unlike other cars of this sort it does not look like a hideous creature suffering from a horrible disease (take the G-Wizz as a prime example!). This car is designed with the same language that created the new Elise, Elan, Espirit and Elite.

Lotus City Car Concept Specification
Layout 3 door, 4 seater, rear wheel drive
Drivetrain Series hybrid drivetrain
Range Extender engine 35 kW, 1.2 litre, 3 cylinder engine
Engine fuel Flex-fuel (methanol, ethanol and petrol)
Battery Capacity 14.8 kWh
Power/Torque 162 kW peak (54 kW continuous)/ 240 Nm
0-50 km/h 4.5 seconds
0-100 km/h 9.0 seconds
Top speed 170 km/h
Range 500 km
EV range 60 km
CO2 emissions 60 g/km on the ECE-R101 cycle
Weight Less than 1,400 kg
Transmission Single speed transmission

 

[silvElise]

Not sure what to think of this really......
Part of me thinks its cool this part of the market is expanding and I see its use... but why lotus?

 

[eXpensiveGears]

looks alot better than the AM cyg.

 

[BG]

looks alot better than the AM cyg.

+1

 

[damen]

just another sign of the ongoing destruction of lotus

 

[lotus4life]

Not my cup of tea, but I hope it does well.

 

[KandyRedCoi]

Lotus as a manufacturer needs to thesenthings in order to survive, good for the company but i know some hardcore guys are going insane right now lol

I also hope it does well and becomes available here in the US

 

[babystat]

I think it's cute and I like it.........

 

[ADV.1 Matt]

Only reason they are doing this is to balance their EU emissions requirements for when they launch their new lineup of cars with the big fire-breathing engines. Same reason Aston launched theirs... It balances out the emissions of their range and brings it down in line with the requirements set forth by the EU.

 

[damen]

yeah, it would be a great idea if all their upcoming cars didnt suck

 

[LARRY]

Not sure what to think of this really......
Part of me thinks its cool this part of the market is expanding and I see its use... but why lotus?

Why not.

Look around on the tiny roads in England, France, Jtaly, etc. and all you see are tiny cars like this.

Great market for Lotus to explore.

 

[UAV]

Interesting

 

[Shoof]

My guess is to keep Lotus from getting fined by the CAFE for not having cars that are fuel efficent enough. That's why Aston Martin made their own version of the Scion iQ.

 

[Shawn C]

shite

 

[ADV.1 Matt]

My guess is to keep Lotus from getting fined by the CAFE for not having cars that are fuel efficent enough. That's why Aston Martin made their own version of the Scion iQ.

This. Nothing but this. Simply a ploy to combat the big engined model revamp coming.

 

[Hossy]

yeah, it would be a great idea if all their upcoming cars didnt suck

I have to disagree - I do realize that many of the Lotus faithful dislike the idea of appealing to a wider audience, but for the company to survive, if you are indeed a true Lotus enthusiast then perhaps it is an acceptable part of keeping it in business. In addition, I loved the elise/exige platform, but it was never a realistic option for me to put in the garage. With the Evora and others in the works, I am now considering purchase, and am looking forward to owning one. The driving experience is still fantastic, and they are still Lotus - just not as hardcore as many owners have been accustomed to in the past.

 

[damen]

See, you have my issues all wrong.
Their new cars are big and heavy. *THAT* is not Lotus.
I dont care about appealing to a wider audience.

Also, the general consensus is the Evora (other than the S version) is pretty but horrid.

 

[Hossy]

See, you have my issues all wrong.
Their new cars are big and heavy. *THAT* is not Lotus.
I dont care about appealing to a wider audience.

Also, the general consensus is the Evora (other than the S version) is pretty but horrid.

I understand your issues - that is to what I am referring. The additional weight is not simply bags of bricks in car - it is part of what is necessary to make the car more appealing. The additional 1k lbs of the evora when compared with the elise/exige platform is a result of the leather, carpet, insulation, new suspension, size of the body, +2 area, etc; everything to make it more of lotus one could live with as an acceptable fun car. Sure, it is somewhat of a departure from 'adding lightness' to improve performance, but it still hovers in the 1/10 ratio of hp/lbs that lotus has found to be the sweet spot, and is a blast to drive. All that in a mid-engined car and I don't have to worry about whether or not I can drive the thing for an entire day without being somewhat fatigued.

Also, I don't think a car that is only a few hundred pounds heavier than a Honda Fit for instance is "big and heavy." Sure, compared to a 1,984 lbs elise, it is 50% heavier - but to many, myself included, it is a 100% more appealing to own.

And as you stated, you don't care about appealing to a wider audience - which is fine, don't get me wrong - but adaptation is a part of survival and success, in all manner of disciplines.

Finally, I don't typically use 'general consensus' to align my own thoughts and opinions. Personally (and that is the ONLY soapbox on which I am standing), I love it, and will probably pick one up in the next few months. It is now simply a question of what colors and if I can find an already-depreciated-from-new 600 mile S!

 

[ADV.1 Matt]

I think a lot of the additional weight is going to be from the new safety requirements as well... 90 different airbags all add to the weight. That being said, I don't mind if that's what they are spending the weight on. I love the idea of a featherweight lotus but I wouldn't want to be in one during a car crash with anything more than a tricycle.

 

[[email protected]]

My guess is to keep Lotus from getting fined by the CAFE for not having cars that are fuel efficent enough. That's why Aston Martin made their own version of the Scion iQ.

Look global. It is to lower their fleet average emissions for EU compliance in 2012. This is also what drove A-M to release the Cygnet, not CAFE.