The Best Of British Is Back!

Lotus takes on an entirely new challenge with the Evija, the company’s first full-electric hypercar while keeping subtle connections to its past. Colin Chapman would be proud!

- Pawan Dhingara

You remember Lotus, right? That small specialized British company that gave the world such lightweight, simplified gems like the Exige, Elise, and even the Evora before quietly vanishing from most markets for the better part of a decade? Did I mention notching up seven Formula One Constructors’ World Championships too between the 70s and 80s? These guys practically defined the attainable everyday sportscar and the fundamental rules around aerodynamics and construction. Well, they’ve returned, and almost unrecognizably so but if one thing is clear it’s that these last few years have not been wasted - Lotus has come out swinging and grown some big kahunas in the process. They’ve studied the evolving hypercar market – noticed that it’s going EV – and decided that this is where the future of the Lotus brand is going to sit. And rather than taking a small bite out of the mid-range sports cars like in the past, the new Lotus Evija is making uncharacteristically bold claims, such as calling out the likes of McLaren, Ferrari, and Lamborghini, and planning to whip the pants offthe lot of them.

Speaking at the unveiling in London, Lotus Cars CEO Phil Popham said: “The Lotus Evija is a car like no other. It will re-establish our brand in the hearts and minds of sports car fans and on the global automotive stage. It will also pave the way for further visionary models. This is another amazing moment in the history of our company. The Evija is a true Lotus in every sense – it has been developed with an unwavering passion to push boundaries, to explore new ways of thinking, and to apply ground-breaking technologies.”