Lotus has used the
Goodwood Festival of Speed to announce its upcoming hypercar will be called the
Evija. Previously known as the Type 130, the Evija name is pronounced
“ev-eye-a” and means “the first in existence” or “the living one.” Lotus says
this makes the moniker “highly appropriate” as the Evija will become the first
electric hypercar from a British automaker.
The Evija will go
into production next year and the company says it will open an “exciting new
chapter in the history of the iconic British sports car brand.” The automaker
also noted the car is the first major new model to be launched under Geely
ownership and hinted this “significance cannot be overstated.”
The company has
been tight-lipped about specifics, but the car will be unveiled at special
event in London later this month. In the meantime, the company has released a
new teaser video which shows the model will have a slender center console with
hexagonal buttons to start the car and shift the transmission into gear. People
who visit the Lotus stand at Goodwood can also get an exclusive glimpse of the
Evija via a “dramatic light show” that promises to reveal new details about the
car.
Production will be
limited to 130 units and previous reports have suggested the model will have a
carbon fiber monocoque chassis and four electric motors that produce more than
1,000 hp. The car is also rumored to have active
aerodynamics and a high-tech battery pack.
In a statement,
Lotus CEO Phil Popham said “Evija is the perfect name for our new car because
it’s the first hypercar from Lotus, our first electric offering and is the
first new model under the stewardship of Geely.” He went on to say “The Evija
is a Lotus like no other, yet a true Lotus in every sense.”
