Lotus And Volvo Are Set To Share An Engine Supply

Lotus’ Chinese owner wants to use the same engines across Geely, Volvo, Lynk & Co and others - and hybrid engines are likely
Lotus And Volvo Are Set To Share An Engine Supply

The next generation of Lotus sports cars are set share their engines and powertrains with Volvo. The Swedish company and its parent company intend to merge existing engine plants into a stand-alone business to “develop next generation combustion engines and hybrid powertrains”. That would mean all its brands, including Lotus, LEVC, Lynk & Co and Proton picking from a selection of engines and electrified options.

Besides the reveal of the electric Evija hypercar, a new engine line-up could be Geely’s first step to improving Lotus’ fortunes and turning them back into a world-beating sports car brand.

There’s no timescale to this (we’d expect further announcements in the next couple of years), nor is there any detail about which engines could be shared.

Lotus And Volvo Are Set To Share An Engine Supply

As you might expect, Geely is looking to develop more hybrid powertrains, so a petrol-electric powertrain for the next Lotus Elise can’t be ruled out - although there will be conventional combustion engines too. Out of Geely’s currently available engines, the combination of a 1.5-litre petrol engine, a 10.7kWh battery pack and an electric motor (a combination found in the Volvo XC40 T5 Twin Engine hybrid) looks the most likely.

In the XC40, that powertrain produces a 0-62mph time of around seven seconds, but the light kerbweight of Lotus models would result in a significantly faster car.

The latest generation of Elise uses a Toyota-sourced 1.8-litre engine hooked up to a supercharger. It’s a small displacement but the fanatical weight saving means 0-62mph is chalked off in just 4.2 seconds.

Lotus And Volvo Are Set To Share An Engine Supply

Both the Evora and the Exige also use a Toyota engine at the moment – a 3.5-litre V6 used elsewhere to lug the Camry around. It’s unclear how Geely’s new engine strategy will affect Lotus’ deal with the Japanese company.

The reveal of the bonkers Lotus Evija hypercar shows that Lotus is fully embracing electrification and alternative powertrains. Despite having 2000bhp and a skateboard of heavy batteries, the Evija somehow only weighs 1680kg, so the company isn’t totally giving up its lightweight philosophy. Even if the ‘simplify’ bit of its ethos is at odds with hybrid power and lithium-ion battery cells.

What do you think of Lotus going hybrid?

Comments

Black Coyote "Rogue Driver" Ray 6T

I really can’t think of an hybrid Elise, a car focused on minimum weight, maybe a mild hybrid? A hybrid Evora would definitely be more interesting, maybe with a performance version mounting the Volvo 2.0 twincharged hybrid engine.

10/08/2019 - 14:21 |
20 | 0

Enter your comment…

10/08/2019 - 14:54 |
0 | 0

A lotus elise with electric motors in it? Crazy. I’m having dejavú of someone already screwing that up. Oh wait…

10/08/2019 - 14:54 |
12 | 0
Itsuki

While people are thinking about a hybrid elise, I’m thinking about Evija powered London Taxis

10/08/2019 - 16:07 |
18 | 0
Neco Arc

In reply to by Itsuki

I’m getting some serious Kingsman vibes from this.

10/10/2019 - 13:11 |
2 | 0
Kenji (Oldsmobile Fan) (GoldWing Enthusiast) (wheel nut)

this sounds like a good idea

10/08/2019 - 16:42 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

No no no. How are they gonna go from a V6 down to an I4. Fine, share components and parts but leave the V6 alone surely… wtf is this. And a hybrid Elise.. this being the car that’s supposed to weigh nothing.. WTF Geely, seriously Lotus..

10/08/2019 - 19:13 |
12 | 0
Wogmidget

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

10/08/2019 - 21:34 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

a I5 elise would be awesome, and as much as i love volvo’s i can’t imagine a car supposed to be lightweight and handling focused have big heavy battery packs and electrical engines together with a petrol engine… this is oust sad.

10/08/2019 - 21:47 |
4 | 0
Anonymous

Maybe making use of a supercapacitor instead of batteries could keep the weight at its minimum. And then make the electric part work somewhat like KERS. This would be awesome, not sure whether the Chinese would bother and go that far though…

10/09/2019 - 01:42 |
2 | 0
CannedRex24

Twincharged Lotus’?

Sign me the F**k up!

10/09/2019 - 07:54 |
6 | 0

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