The announcement today of the Lotus Evora 414E Hybrid at the Geneva Auto Show includes a deal between Lotus and an electric vehicle technology startup. As covered by earth2tech this morning:
EVO Electric, a U.K.-based startup developing a more efficient electric motor for hybrid and electric cars, will be getting a whole lotta attention in Geneva on Tuesday due to a major new partnership. The 3-year-old company has scored a deal with Lotus Engineering, and EVO’s motors are being featured in a plug-in hybrid concept sports car — the Evora hybrid — expected to be unveiled at the Geneva International Motor Show on Tuesday.
Lotus has an existing relationship with another rather well-known electric vehicle startup, of course: Tesla Motors. Tesla’s $109,000 Roadster resembles the Lotus Elise, and Lotus manufactures the vehicle’s chassis for Tesla under contract (though Tesla is quick to point out that it is not simply a converted Lotus Elise, and indeed <7% of the parts are shared between the two).
Now that Lotus will be selling an electric (albeit hybrid) sports car under its own label, I wonder how this will change their relationship with Tesla.
(Photo of the Lotus Evora)
