This spring, Lotus will make history by unveiling its first-ever SUV, currently known by its "Type 132" codename. It will be followed by a four-door coupe (Type 133) and a smaller crossover (Type 134) in the coming years, with a sports car (Type 135) arriving in 2026. All of them will be electric vehicles since the recently launched Emira is the firm's final combustion-engined car.
While the first three upcoming EVs will be built in Wuhan (yes, that Wuhan) in China, the performance machine is going to be assembled at home in Hethel. Despite being four years away, Lotus is eager to provide an early taste of the Type 135. Set to spawn an equivalent Alpine version, the sports car from Norfolk will be developed together with battery cell expert Britishvolt.
The adjacent sketch sends out Esprit vibes with a pointy nose while the derrière makes us think of the Europa. It appears to be a two-seater judging by the heavily sloped roofline and should be roomy and practical (by sports car standards) thanks to the bespoke EV platform. The unnamed car will serve as a spiritual successor of the Elise, which bowed out last month after 25 years of production.
Set to ride on a newly developed E-Sports architecture, the new model positioned below the Evija hypercar is expected to come in single- and dual-motor flavors. Depending on the configuration, the platform is being engineered for outputs varying between 469 to 872 horsepower as well as rear- and all-wheel drive. Its structure will be 37 percent lighter compared to the Emira’s while the batteries could sit behind the seats akin to a mid-engined car.
We already know the platform is being developed to accommodate 66.4 kWh and 99.6 kWh battery packs, with a range estimated at 300 to 450 miles (483 to 724 kilometers) on a single charge. Speaking of which, support for 800V will translate into fast-charging capabilities.
Additional and more exact details will be disclosed in the coming years, ahead of the confirmed 2026 release.
