Lotus Evija electric hypercar tears up Goodwood
The all-electric Lotus Evija hypercar has made its public debut at Goodwood’s SpeedWeek, boasting a higher power number than any of its Supercar Run rivals.
In Track Mode the Evija offers an astonishing 1471kW and 2000Nm, Lotus claiming this makes its first electric hypercar the world’s most powerful series production car.
Three pre-production Evijas were in action at Goodwood, one in vibrant Solaris Yellow and two in the famed black and gold liveries of John Player Special Lotuses of the past.
Last month we reported the Evija’s launch was delayed until mid-2021 following coronavirus testing restrictions, but a slickly-produced video on location at Goodwood, plus its appearance at the iconic English circuit over the weekend, whets the appetite for its eventual arrival.
Lotus may have a history of false dawns, financial crises and dodgy owners, but its motorsport history and often brilliant sporting road cars mean enthusiasts have a sentimental spot for the Chinese-owned Brit brand.
So, dress an Evija up in evocative JPS livery, stick it alongside old Lotus F1 cars, then sling it around Goodwood’s picturesque race track and we can be forgiven for getting more than a little excited.
Especially when combined with the Evija’s otherworldly figures. It uses 368kW e-motors at each corner to offer a 0-100km/h time of under three seconds, and a scarcely believable 0-300km/h time of less than nine seconds. Top speed is 200mph (320km/h).
Extra theatre is provided by scissor doors for the two-seater and a price tag from £1.7 million (before sales tax) in the UK, or roughly $3.2 million at current exchange rates.
If fans were expecting ragged-edge stuff from these prototype Evijas, they were unfortunately stuck with just hints as the hypercars did parade laps. Despite being the most powerful vehicles participating in the Supercars Run, there was no attempt made at the Goodwood circuit lap record.
Gavan Kershaw, Director of Vehicle Attributes, Lotus, said: “Bringing the cars to an event like this (Goodwood SpeedWeek) is a welcome break from the hundreds of hours spent on proving grounds, where there’s a huge amount of open space and long straights to test the car’s performance limits.
“Goodwood is a fast and flowing circuit with numerous undulations in the surface, and so is a fantastic test and demonstration for the Evija as it’s the type of environment where many owners will use the car.”
Event host, Lord March, did get a more substantial experience in one, as seen in the above video. No stranger to performance cars, we’ll have to rely on his rather gushing assessments until we (hopefully) get to sample an Evija when it eventually launches.
“The Evija is unbelievable – the power, the speed, I’ve never experienced anything like it – it was exceptional,” Lord March said. “This new dawn of electric hypercars brings ultimate motoring to life for a new generation and a younger audience. Lotus continues to appeal to both the inner driver and the inner child in all of us – so much fun, and ultimately for the driver to control and enjoy.”
It’s certainly the kind of bedroom wall poster car to entice car enthusiasts young and old. We can only hope the electrified hypercar lives up to the hype part…and there are no further delays to production.
