2027 Changes

Lotus Emira to go hybrid! | Autocar

Sports car will gain same 'Hyper Hybrid' technology being developed for the brand's luxury EVs

www.autocar.co.uk

 

[DerTheDer]

Eh, good luck! Would certainly be cool. But if they cant even handle a normal launch with normal engines, how do they think they can handle this?

 

[anshumanoz]

The article says that that the i4 Turbo variant going to be discontinued to comply with EU7 regulations. It further adds that the current V6 from Toyota can't be upgraded either! So, what ICE engine is left or will be provided....

 

[seriously]

It also says the v6 will get an upgrade.

As to what the hybrid is there was this hybrid evora test.

https://www.topgear.com/car-news/concept/tgs-guide-concepts-lotus-evora-414e

Feels a little more like the new rx7 concept where the ICE engine is recharging the electric engine. Either way, I have to assume Lotus will buy a unit from another manufacturer. There is no way they would develop a bespoke drivetrain for the emira.

 

[PatrickJS]

Nice that means the gas ones we have will increase in value

 

[Nick in Sydney]

But if they cant even handle a normal launch with normal engines, how do they think they can handle this?

The US Emira launch was a mess due to a combination of incompetence and terrible luck. But Geely Auto sells more than two million cars each year— a hybrid Emira is not a massive challenge.

 

[idleuser]

Lotus is giving us an affordable Mclaren Artura!

 

[GrahamClark_60-68]

It also says the v6 will get an upgrade.

Been searching for the actual transcript of the earnings call to confirm or deny what this may actually mean and think I found one. Parsing through the vagueness is similar to gleening what the fed governers are telling us and trying to predict which way the stock market will react. In this case, the verbiage from the call that I found says "And then in terms of our future plan for Emera, we’re going to upgrade our powertrain in 2027 to comply with EU7. That includes also the potential consideration of a V six engine and then also alternative plug in hybrid solutions."

From this, one could assume:
1. They are NOT going to upgrade the current V6, as we heard many times it cannot be made EU7 compliant (but I guess that remains to be seen).
2. This leaves the possibility they will consider other V6s, but the statement also seems to leave room for other powertrains, and perhaps a V8 as previously suggested by Lotus.
3. And then of course secondary to this a plug-in hybrid powertrain.
4. And the lack of comment regarding the Turbo 4 is likely what led Autocar to conclude it's on the way out.

 

[guardbuddy]

Been searching for the actual transcript of the earnings call to confirm or deny what this may actually mean and think I found one. Parsing through the vagueness is similar to gleening what the fed governers are telling us and trying to predict which way the stock market will react. In this case, the verbiage from the call that I found says "And then in terms of our future plan for Emera, we’re going to upgrade our powertrain in 2027 to comply with EU7. That includes also the potential consideration of a V six engine and then also alternative plug in hybrid solutions."

From this, one could assume:
1. They are NOT going to upgrade the current V6, as we heard many times it cannot be made EU7 compliant (but I guess that remains to be seen).
2. This leaves the possibility they will consider other V6s, but the statement also seems to leave room for other powertrains, and perhaps a V8 as previously suggested by Lotus.
3. And then of course secondary to this a plug-in hybrid powertrain.
4. And the lack of comment regarding the Turbo 4 is likely what led Autocar to conclude it's on the way out.

Thanks for checking in on this -- I was like these are some big claims without direct quotes?

I just hope the Turbo 4 stays alive for the 2027 year -- was planning on picking up an Emira around then.

 

[seriously]

Lotus is giving us an affordable Mclaren Artura!

With a 1.5 cylinder engine!

 

[Nick in Sydney]

Pretty ironic if the AMG engine gets dropped and the V6 lives on

 

[seriously]

Sounds crazy but there might be a higher end market for a v8 manual emira. Everyone is hotly anticipating a future manual Ferrari which is guaranteed to be stupid money. You look at that and start thinking paying a lot for a v8 emira could make some sense. It also pushes the drivetrain into a different category than the cayman which they hinted at- going beyond Porsche, which means who knows what.

 

[SimonT]

With a 1.5 cylinder engine!

Toyota GR Yaris has a 1.6l turbo engine putting 280 bhp as stock, with minor add ons and tunes thats been taken to 450 + bhp, with internal changes eg cams 650 bhp is easily achievable.

The positive news is production is likely which means spare parts will be available too, including body panels. I also think this could drive used prices up somewhat to a level they should be at, a 2 yr old sports car with 400bhp, looks that beat most cars out there and under warranty for £60k is crazy.

 

[SimonT]

Pretty ironic if the AMG engine gets dropped and the V6 lives on

Though not being able to pass new, and crazy, emissions will kill it off.

 

[LotsOfTriumphsUsuallySexy]

Ignoring for a moment that "Lotus has confirmed it is planning a plug-in hybrid version of the Emira sports car" is an outright lie, I find it difficult to imagine a PHEV (= ICE + alternator + Motor + Battery) is going to come anywhere near the mass of the Emira. I know, I know, we are all petrol heads here, but I drove the original *2,877* lbs Tesla Roadster and it was hysterically fun. I would instantly have bought a modern version of that in an Emira body (the original Roadster is showing its age).

 

[virtualmacho]

5,000 RPM rev limit has entered the chat.

 

[ADC]

Lotus is giving us an affordable Mclaren Artura!

I'm not sure I'd wager on "affordable". Sounds like they're likely to head upmarket, and R&D costs for engineering in a hybrid system need to be recouped somehow.

Still, I'm intrigued to see where this goes. I thought Geely only had 4-pot hybrids in house, so maybe the Toyota/Lexus hybrid V6?

 

[ADC]

5,000 RPM rev limit has entered the chat.

CVT drivetrain says hi!

 

[SimonT]

Ignoring for a moment that "Lotus has confirmed it is planning a plug-in hybrid version of the Emira sports car" is an outright lie, I find it difficult to imagine a PHEV (= ICE + alternator + Motor + Battery) is going to come anywhere near the mass of the Emira. I know, I know, we are all petrol heads here, but I drove the original *2,877* lbs Tesla Roadster and it was hysterically fun. I would instantly have bought a modern version of that in an Emira body (the original Roadster is showing its age).

Put the Toyota GR Yaris 1.6 unit in and it would be approximately 130kg lighter, add the hybrid system and it wouldn't be too much more than it weighs now. That unit can go 600 bhp+ with different turbo, cams, springs and intake.

All depends on what they use.

 

[Mr. Wolfe]

If they go with a hybrid system, I hope they go very light on the ICE. Not gonna lie, this news makes me a little nervous.

Mr. Wolfe