Lotus Set to Launch New EV Sportscar in 2027

Lotus is reportedly planning to launch a new EV sportscar model later in 2027

Lotus is about to go full-force on its electromobility adoption game, as the British marque is set to launch a new EV sportscar model, touted as the all-electric Elise regen. Set to debut later in 2027, this new EV model is set to go alongside both the Emeya and Eletre in the marque’s new all-electric lineup.

Codenamed Type 135, the new Lotus EV is set to share the same Lightweight Electric Vehicle Architecture (LEVA) underpinnings as the upcoming Alpine A110’s all-electric successor. Unlike most EVs out there, the 135’s batteries will be placed just behind the front seats instead of mounted on the floor. This enables Lotus engineers to design the 135 similar to a traditional mid-engined sportscar, offering a more familiar weight distribution and balance.

On its powertrain specs, Autocar UK reported that this new EV will come in both single- (RWD) and dual-motor (AWD) configurations, with its output ranging between 469 HP and 872 HP. Both variants will be offered with either a 66.4-kWh or 99.6-kWh battery option, with all of them featuring a neat 800-volt battery architecture to enable rapid charging.

On the design front, Lotus VP of Design Ben Payne told Top Gear that the Type 135 will feature a very balanced design, probably featuring a traditional mid-engined sportscar body style, as hinted by its battery layout. With both the Emeya and Eletre featuring similar styling cues, such as their slim and sharp LED headlight design, perhaps we can expect these elements to be present on the Type 135, too.

“The design is something we’ve got to balance and get absolutely right, so it’s not taken lightly at all. There’s a lot of investigation going on. Lots of things have been tried and looked at.”

Currently known as the Type 135, Lotus has yet to choose an official name for its upcoming EV sportscar. According to the marque’s commercial boss, Mike Johnstone, however, there’s a possibility that Lotus might revive one of its historical nameplates for this new EV model.

“There are a number of different names that we could use historically, but at this stage there’s no decision. If you’re going to use an old name though, it needs to really have a legitimacy,” Johnstone said.

With the new Type 135 set to become the all-electric successor to the current Emira sportscar, there’s also a possibility that this new EV model will carry Emira’s name instead of the Elise. Regardless of what it will be called, we’re sure this new EV sportscar will be a delightful thing to drive, as expected of any cars bearing the storied ‘ACBC’ badge.