After a terrible 2022 when it sold just 576 cars, Lotus is confident this year will be much better as the Norfolk-based marque has about 17,000 orders to fulfill. Demand is driven by the Eletre electric SUV and the mid-engined Emira sports car, the brand’s final vehicle offered with combustion engines. Deliveries of the Evija hypercar are about to start, and there’s a fourth model on the horizon – the Type 133.
The first Lotus sedan since the Carlton has been spotted up close while revealing a few production details. For example, the three-tier headlights are completely exposed and it looks as though the EV has all the final body panels in place. As expected, the design is greatly derived from the Eletre, right down to the side cameras replacing the conventional mirrors.
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At the rear, those taillights are placeholders and will be replaced with a nicer set on the production model. Those horizontal cutouts in the trunk lid indicate that the Type 133 will have a light bar. The Porsche Taycan rival will be similar in size to the Polestar 5 with which it’ll share some of the bits but the electric sedan has been engineered independently.
An educated guess tells us the saloon will be heavily related to the Eletre, so expect up to 905 hp (675 kW) and 726 lb-ft (985 Nm) of torque for the range-topping R version. The SUV has a big 112-kWh battery, rear-wheel steering, air suspension, and active aero. Lotus has said the flagship Eletre takes 2.95 seconds to 62 mph (100 km/h) but the sedan could be a tad quicker since it might end up slightly lighter.
The official reveal has been confirmed to take place later this year, with sales to commence in 2024. As far as the name is concerned, it’ll start with an “E” but the Geely-owned brand has refuted rumors claiming it’ll be called Envya. That’s despite the fact this is one of the names already trademarked by Lotus.
The sedan could spawn a more practical wagon, although it won’t happen until 2027 at the earliest. A smaller electric crossover and sports car will be out by 2026.