Lotus backtracks on electric-only plan in favour of new 'hyper hybrid' tech

Lotus has become the latest brand to backtrack on its intention to go electric-only, as it’s now announced plans to introduce a new plug-in “Hyper Hybrid” powertrain in response to changing market demands.  

According to Lotus: “The Hyper Hybrid technology enables high performance, high efficiency and a flexible longer driving distance of over 1,100 kilometres [more than 683 miles].” The company added that the powertrain will deliver ultra-fast plug-in and on-the-move charging, both at “industry leading” speeds, thanks to a 900V electrical architecture. 

Unfortunately, Lotus has not yet revealed any specific technical details, including what type of engine the hybrid system will use, or the size of the battery. It’s also unclear when the company will start offering the new powertrain, or on which models in its current line-up it will be made available.

However, we expect the hybrid set-up could potentially be shoehorned into the pure-electric Eletre SUV and Emeya four-door GT to broaden their appeal among luxury car buyers. 

In addition, next year Lotus is set to unveil a mid-size SUV to target the Porsche Macan, which is seen as crucial to the growth of the brand. It was set to be pure-electric as well, but with demand for EVs slowing, it’s more than likely this model will be offered with the new hybrid tech too. 

Despite Lotus postponing its plans to go electric-only by 2028, there is no guarantee the petrol-powered Emira sports car will receive a stay of execution. Indeed, it is still likely to be laid to rest in 2028 as planned. 

Lotus announced it had delivered more than 7,600 vehicles in the first nine months of 2024, which is a 136 per cent increase year-on-year, while total revenue doubled to £516 million. However, Lotus also reported a net loss of £527 million in the first nine months of the year – a 27 per cent increase on the same period in 2023.

And it isn’t the only car manufacturer to put on hold plans to go EV only. Bentley recently announced it will now ditch combustion engines by 2035, not 2030 as previously suggested, and will launch new plug-in hybrid models throughout the next few years. 

Meanwhile Volvo, which is also owned by Geely (Lotus’s parent company), has said it’s now aiming for “90 to 100 per cent” of its global sales to be electrified by the end of the decade, which will include a mix of plug-in hybrid and fully electric cars.

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