Lotus Theory 1 Concept Hints at All-Electric Esprit Successor
The radical Lotus Theory 1 Concept pays homage to the original S1 Esprit.
It is no secret that Lotus is planning to make a new sportscar to go along with its new all-electric lineup. While the previous rumour said that the model will be launched in 2027, it seems we’ve gotten an early preview of this upcoming sportscar as the Anglo-Chinese marque unveils its latest concept model—the Lotus Theory 1.
Lotus Theory 1 concept (left) & the original lotus S1 Esprit (right)
Conceived as the all-electric successor to the original S1 Esprit, the Theory 1 is a pretty radical concept sportscar that features some design cues derived from both the aforementioned model and the current crop of Lotus EVs. For starters, the Theory 1’s wedge-shaped silhouette is taken directly from the original Esprit, while its aggressive front face featuring dual-stack LED headlights reminds us of the Emeya hyper-GT.
Unlike both aforementioned models, the Theory 1 takes up a notch with its aero parts, as the car features a radical front splitter and rear diffuser, plus some visible carbon fibre parts inside out. Thanks to the elaborate use of carbon fibre, the Theory 1 only weighs 1,600 KG, which is quite impressive for an all-electric sportscar.
The radical design continues as we get inside the Theory 1, where the concept comes with butterfly-style doors and a unique three-seat layout reminiscent of the legendary McLaren F1. Calling them seats might not do justice to Theory 1, as they consist of several cushion pads and headrests that are mounted directly to the car’s carbon fibre chassis, a la Lamborghini Sesto Elemento.
Beyond its skeleton design, these seats are part of Theory 1’s Lotuswear system of adaptive textile-covered robotics developed with Motorskins that can provide haptic feedback to the driver together with the steering wheel. On the topic of steering, the Theory 1 also comes with a steer-by-wire steering system instead of a conventional electric power steering system used on many cars nowadays, providing drivers the ability to adjust the steering ratio and feel on the fly.
Besides the unique steering system, there’s more impressive technology and innovation beneath the Theory 1’s carbon-cladded body, as the concept features an innovative chassis setup where both the battery and motor assemblies are used as part of the stress member for the suspension setup. This technology is no stranger to the Lotus brand, as it was previously used on some of its Formula One (F1) models.
Battery and motor setups, on the other hand, are quite typical of Lotus hyper-EVs, with the Theory 1 being powered by a dual-motor AWD setup rated at 986 HP that allows a rapid 0-100 KM/H sprint time of 2.5 seconds and a 320 KM/H V-Max. Meanwhile, the 70-kWh battery is good enough to provide the Theory 1 with up to 402 KM of EV range.
Elsewhere on the performance front, the Theory 1 follows the footsteps of its all-electric siblings by using the bespoke Pirelli P Zero Elect EV-specific performance tyres that are specifically designed to reduce rolling resistance and boost range by up to 10%. Combined with its relative light mass, the Theory 1 promises to deliver the same lightweight driving experience that the Lotus brand was known for in the last few decades.
Given how radical this concept is, it is quite surprising that Lotus has hinted that a production version of Theory 1 is currently in their pipeline. Speaking to Autocar UK, Lotus chief creative officer Ben Payne said around 85% of Theory 1’s technical features are "production-ready," thus suggesting that a production version might arrive sooner than we thought.
Gallery
































Written By
Mukhlis Azman
An avid two-wheeler that writes and talks about four-wheelers for a living, while dreaming of an urban transit-laden Malaysia. @mukhlisazman
JPJ Running Numbers
KUALA LUMPUR
VPK5818
SELANGOR
BSG3835
JOHOR
JYD4442
PULAU PINANG
PRS4693
PERAK
ANX8639
PAHANG
CFC6547
KEDAH
KGB4178
NEGERI SEMBILAN
NEG4841
KOTA KINABALU
SJL7523
KUCHING
QAB6955L
Last updated 19 Jul, 2025
Fuel Price
Petrol
RON 95
RM 2.05
RON 97
RM 3.21
+0.03
RON 100
RM 5.00
VPR
RM 6.23
Diesel
EURO 5 B10
RM 2.91
+0.03
EURO 5 B7
RM 3.11
+0.03
Last updated 17 Jul, 2025
Related News
Updated 2026 Lotus Emira Unveiled with New V6 SE Variant
The 2026 MY update sees the Lotus Emira gaining a new V6 SE top-spec variant, plus a new entry-level Turbo model.
06-06-2025
Lotus Revamps Eletre & Emeya Lineup for 2026 MY
For the 2026 model year update, Lotus has revamped both the Eletre and Emeya lineups, featuring new 600 and 900 variants.
04-04-2025
Lotus Regains Branding RIghts In China
Lotus reclaims logo, Chinese trademark and wordmark to strengthen its global identity in China.
03-01-2025
Lotus Revises Its Emira Line-Up
Lotus has revealed updates to one of its last combustion-powered models, with its Emira sports car.
02-12-2024
Lotus Joins Volvo In Reversing EV-Only Strategy
Lotus, like Volvo, reevaluates EV-only strategy, now plans to introduce hybrid, PHEV and REEV offerings.
22-11-2024
Lotus Store Penang Officially Opens – First Store Outside of KL
Lotus Cars Malaysia has officially opened Lotus Store Penang—the first of its kind outside of the Klang Valley area.
15-11-2024
Lotus Emira Gains New Top-Spec Turbo SE Variant
The Lotus Emira gains a new top-spec Turbo SE variant, featuring a 400 HP-rated AMG inline-4 mill.
06-10-2024
Lotus Emeya EV Now Open For Booking – 2 Variants, from RM575,000
Lotus Cars Malaysia has opened the order books for the Lotus Emeya hyper EV GT, priced from RM575,000 onwards.
22-07-2024
Latest News
New Zeekr Showroom & Service Centre in Sunway City Officially Opened
Dealers Sunway Marketing officially opens new Zeekr brand showroom and service centre in Sunway City.
18-07-2025
Subaru Uncharted EV Debuts as CH-R’s Off-Road-Ready Twin
Subaru’s new Uncharted EV is essentially a more rugged, off-road-focused version of the Toyota CH-R EV crossover.
18-07-2025
smart #5 EHD Plug-In Hybrid First Images Unveiled in China
smart Automobile has unveiled the official images of its first plug-in hybrid model in China, the smart #5 EHD.
18-07-2025
Tesla Unveils Long-Wheelbase Model Y L for China
Tesla Model Y L, China-exclusive variant adds size, seating and power.
17-07-2025
Kia Carens Clavis EV Unveiled as India-Only Mini EV9
The all-new Kia Carens Clavis EV debuts in India as a compact MPV with EV9-esque design and up to 490 km of range.
16-07-2025
Zeekr 7X Earns 5-Star Euro NCAP Score
Malaysia-bound Zeekr 7X delivers class-leading safety tech and a full five-star Euro NCAP rating.
16-07-2025
Special MG Cyberster Test-Drive Showcase Annonuced
Experience the MG Cyberster first-hand through a special showcase at MG Motor Old Klang Road on July 19 and 20.
15-07-2025
New SoloEra Solo 1C E-Bike Up For Grabs At RM599 Via Pre-Launch Deal
New SoloEra Solo 1C e-bike from Blueshark up for grabs at just RM599 via special pre-launch deal.
15-07-2025
Show More
trending_flat