I never thought I’d see the day that Lotus has a sedan on the market, yet here we are in 2022, the company’s entire sports car brand is dead, and it’s launching into the future with an electric SUV. This is the result of Geely ownership, but that doesn’t mean that Lotus’ future will be tainted compared to its past. In fact, the Eletre only exists because it will make money and, ultimately, fund other more Lotus-like electric sports cars. The first of that range, however, won’t be a typical two-door coupe but instead an all-electric sedan. Known internally as the Lotus Type 133, it too will be built in China, but it will also have a look and personality all its own. Now, we’ve learned a little more about it and how it will compete in the market.

What You Need to Know About the Lotus Type 133 – A Porsche Taycan Killer

The Lotus Type 133, an all-electric sedan and the brand’s second EV, will be a direct competitor to the Porsche Taycan when it launches in 2023. British publication Autocar has obtained some new details about the Type 133, the most important of which is, arguably, that it won’t just be a lowered version of the Eletre.

According to the outlet, the Type 133 has almost passed the design phase, with Lotus on the verge of finalizing its design. It’s apparently going to be more than just a low-slung Eletre, though it will share some elements. As Lotus Senior VP of Design, Peter Horbury, put it, “every member of a family can have their own character, but there has to be some continuity and family identity. Families aren’t made up entirely of triplets or quadruplets.”

Overall, the Type 133 will feature an aero-driven exterior design and a tech-heavy minimalist cabin – a move that will put it on the track to compete with the Taycan GTS. With the Eletre launching with 592 horsepower, the Type 133 should launch with a similar output, which will put it on level playing ground since the Taycan GTS has 590 ponies on tap. With Lotus planning more powerful versions of the Eletre and, ultimately, the Type 133, it could also go against the Taycan Turbo and Taycan Turbo S. The former has 670 horsepower on tap while the latter turns that up to 750 horsepower. We’re talking about electric motors, though, so it shouldn’t be difficult for Lotus to squeeze out enough power to run even with both upper-level Taycans.

Lotus’ managing director “Matt Windle” has already confirmed that the 592-horsepower of the Eletre launch model (and, ultimately, the Type 133) is just a starting point and that “there’s more to come.” There’s even a pretty hefty rumor floating about that claims Lotus could throw in a third electric motor and turn output up to as much as 900 horsepower. That would put the entire Taycan range to shame, but would still fall short of the Tesla Model S Plaid with 1,020 horsepower and the Lucid Air Dream Edition with 1,111 horsepower.

Beyond all of this, 2024 will bring with it the launch of the Type 134 compact crossover to compete with the Porsche Macan EV, and two years after that, the Lotus you really want is coming. The new model being built in collaboration with Alpine will be Lotus’ new electric sports car and the replacement for the Alpine A110 Coupe. While the rest of the models that we’ve discussed today will be built in China, the new sports car that’s twinned with the next-gen Alpine A110 coupe should be built in Hethel.