Lotus is legendary for making cars that make the driver feel connected to the machine. Since the 50s, Lotus' philosophy of less (weight, power) is more has been creating some of the most revered driving experiences ever produced. The Lotus Elan of the 60s was so good, it was used as a benchmark for the McLaren F1, often considered the best car ever made. The Lotus 7 of the same era was so adored that when Lotus cancelled it back in the 70s, another company bought the tooling and continues to make them now, over 50 years later. The Elise and Exige are already icons, critical darlings that have created their own legend and the new Emira is one of the only cars you can still buy with 3 pedals and hydraulic power steering, an experience kept old-school in the name of connectedness.
So understandably, Lotus loyalists were alarmed and then dismayed when the company announced they were going all-electric, and that their first two EV models would be a very large SUV and a very large sedan. These cars appear to be the very antithesis of the Lotus ethos - rather than simplify and add lightness, these cars were heavy, complicated, and dripping in luxury when the Lotus of old wouldn't even supply cup holders or floor mats. Rather than being designed and built in the UK, they are designed in Germany, and built in China. Rather than wearing a goofy, endearing grin, they are snarling at passers-by.
So is this a completely new direction for Lotus? And what then is a Lotus sports car in the EV era? Arguably Lotus with its attention to chassis dynamics and driver engagement should be a leader in defining what those things mean when you start taking away the old control interfaces and rumblings of a manual-transmission car with an engine over your right ear. Well Lotus has already given us one answer in the stunning Evija hypercar, but as exciting and beautiful as the Evjia is, it is difficult for most of us to get excited about a questionably-street-legal vehicle that costs more than most dream homes.
Well, now we have another answer, or shall we say Theory, called the Theory 1 and it's bringing its own ideas about what a Lotus sports car is in the EV era, while also helping define what any sports car is when there's a battery pack behind your seat instead of a bunch of controlled explosions.
Under a tarp, one might assume Lotus went back to the days of Esprit. The car has a shape that we'll call wedge-adjacent (not a bad thing). Pull that cover off though and what we have is pure Hot Wheels, a car that looks like the future and promises a few technologies that feel like it, too.
For example, the buttons in the Theory 1 appear only when needed. That's physical buttons, appearing out of nowhere and giving haptic feedback only in the context that you need them. Is that necessary? Perhaps not. Is it simple? In some ways yes, in others no. Is it cool? Heck yeah.
Then take Lotus' use of materials. Of those you can see and touch, they use just 10; cellulose-based glass fiber, chopped carbon fiber, titanium, and recycled forms of glazing, polyester, rubber, and aluminum. The industry average is over 100 materials. Now THAT's the kind of "simplify and add lightness" that gets the Lotus faithful lusting.
Then there's the central driving position, flanked by a passenger on either side, just like the McLaren F1. OK, now we're getting a little hot and bothered. The cabin is extremely stark, something Lotus fans are used to, but now with space aged materials that are 3D printed to varying tolerances to do the job of several materials in one. Fantastic. KEF supplies the sound, with binaural audio delivered through the headrests and subwoofers behind the seats. This isn't just for podcasts, either - KEF is involved in generating emotion through the "power" of that sound, suggestion subwoofers can provide vibration that give you the sort of thrill an engine might. This is a concept that Dodge has also experimented with through their Fratzonic Exhaust, a unit that produces vibration in the car much like an engine would. Is it any good? We can't tell you yet. But we like that automakers are thinking about powerful sensations for emotion.
Then, there are doors - another totally novel idea. They flip up but then slide backward giving a very wide aperture to entire the cockpit. It certainly looks cool, but we'll reserve judgment on practicality.
Lotus says their target is about 250 miles of range with a 70 kWh battery, with electric motors bolted directly to the suspension in an AWD configuration. That's motorsport stuff, with the numbers to match - 0-62 mph in 2.5 seconds, and a top speed of 200 mph. While not world-beating (or even Evija-beating), Lotus is saying "no thank you" to the all-out numbers race and believe the performance on tap here is plenty.
So what does all of this add up to? Well according to Lotus their target is 3,500 lbs. That's still heavy for a Lotus sports car, approximately 300 lbs heavier than their heaviest-yet Emira, but we can easily envision battery tech improving to the point where the Theory 1 becomes a truly lightweight sports car. For now, fans will have to be satisfied with the fact that it's already 300 kg lighter than its $2.3 million Evija sibling.
So, it seems Lotus really is thinking about lightness in the EV era. That should provid some relief to loyalist anxiety. The future, it seems, is indeed in the hands of people who want our cars to be light, engaging, and emotional. Here Lotus has given us their first Theory on how that will take shape, and that shape is a glorious wedge.
