New Lotus hybrid engine to make its debut at Frankfurt

With a plethora of new cars set to make their debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Lotus is taking a different route by bringing with them their newly-developed engine designed for future hybrid-drive vehicles.

The new engine, which comes in a revolutionary aluminum encasing that integrates the cylinder block, cylinder head, and exhaust manifold into one solid casting, which results in the car being extremely lightweight – weighing no more than 56 kilos – while also improving emissions and engine durability.

Likewise, the engine also comes with a 1.2 Liter, 3 cylinder Range Extender that, as Lotus claims, is the first of its kind built to cater specifically to the hybrid market. The new Lotus engine also features a two-valve port fuel injection system that can release a maximum output of 15kQ from 1,500 RPM to 3,500 RPM.

The new Lotus engine, which was developed as part of a project by the U.K. Technology Strategy Board, is a revolutionary achievement by Lotus in producing hybrid engines that are both highly-efficient and affordable.

Continued after the jump.