The Lotus Evija is not yet in production, but James May managed to get his hands on one
by Ciprian Florea, on LISTEN 01:48The Lotus Evija was unveiled back in November 2019 as the company’s first all-electric production car. But the massively powerful EV has yet to hit public roads, as full-scale production is scheduled to commence later in 2021. This didn’t stop former Top Gear host and current Drivetribe member James May from getting his hands on one for a closer look. Sadly, there’s no driving footage, which suggests that the yellow Evija is not yet ready for that, but May gives us an in-depth look at the supercars features, interior, and technology.
On paper, the Lotus Evija is a truly amazing cars, much more so since it’s the company’s first EV effort. Powered by four electric motors, one for each wheel, the Evija cranks out an estimate 1,970 horsepower and 1,254 pound-feet of torque, more than any production gasoline supercar out there.
For reference, the Hennessey Venom F5 is the world’s most powerful production model as of January 2021 with a total output of 1,817 horses and 1,193 pound-feet of twist. That’s 153 horsepower and 61 pound-feet below that Evija.
Lotus says the Evija will hit 62 mph from a standing start in under three seconds, but the really impressive bit is its ability to accelerate from 0 to 186 in less than nine seconds. The Evija will also be capable of top speeds in excess of 200 mph. The Evija is estimated to return a single-charge range of around 250 miles. But let’s find out more about it from James May himself in the video below.
| Name | Lotus Evija (Type 130) |
|---|---|
| Powertrain | Pure electric, 4WD |
| Power | The target is to be the most powerful production car in the world, at 2,000 PS |
| Battery power | 70 kw/h / 2,000 kW |
| Torque | 1,700 Nm with torque vectoring |
| 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) | Under three seconds |
| 0-300 km/h (0-186 mph) | Under nine seconds |
| Max speed | In excess of 200 mph (320 km/h) |
| All-electric range (WLTP Combined) | Approximately 250 miles (400 km) |
| Charging time (350kW charger) | 18 mins |
| Weight | 1,680 kg |
| Production run | Maximum of 130 cars |
| Overall dimensions (L/W/H) | 4,459 / 2,000 / 1,122 mm |
| Price | £1.5m-2m + duties and taxes |
| Reservation process | £250k refundable deposit secures a production slot |
| Start of Production | 2020 |
