--- title: "Lotus Isn’t Going EV-Only Anymore. What Does This Mean for the Emira?" description: "Lagging demand for fully electric vehicles has driven Lotus to reconsider its all-EV trajectory—and that could help the Emira stick around for longer than expected." date: "2024-11-21" modified: "2024-11-21" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/lotus-isnt-going-ev-only-anymore-what-does-this-mean-for-the-emira" categories: - "Lotus News" - "News" - "News by Brand" tags: - "Coupe" - "Emira" - "Lotus" - "sports car" --- # Lotus Isn’t Going EV-Only Anymore. What Does This Mean for the Emira? ![]() *\Lotus\* Yet another automaker is walking back its plans to go fully electric. After a few of Germany's car companies reversed course, [Lotus]() is jumping back on the internal combustion bandwagon. The British automaker wants to invest in hybrid powertrains to make up for a lack of customer demand for pure EVs. “At Lotus, we have always chosen the best power technology available, whether it’s pure gasoline, pure electric, hybrid or range-extended \[EV\],” Lotus CEO Feng Qingfeng reportedly told the *Wall Street Journal*, via *[Autocar]()*. Qingfeng didn't exactly detail what sort of hybrid system the company would turn to. However, it's looking to combine small turbocharged engines with a "Super Hybrid" system that can provide a combined range of up to 680 miles. Qingfeng thinks that EVs lose their luster the further upmarket you go. “Luxury car engines are already very powerful, and the driving experience is quite similar, with eight-cylinder and 12-cylinder engines performing well,” Qingfeng reportedly told the *WSJ*. ![]() *Lotus Emira. *Lotus* *Lotus** Does this mean there's hope for the Emira? Last January, [reports of the Emira's 2027 demise]() began circulating and Lotus was said to be working on an electric replacement. But now that the brand isn't going full-EV—and those stricter Euro 7 emissions rules have been [pushed back to 2030]()—could the sports car live on longer than anticipated? If Lotus plans on using small turbocharged engines with hybrid tech, it already has the perfect partner in [Mercedes-AMG](). You can currently buy the [Emira]() with an AMG-sourced turbocharged four-cylinder. Mercedes uses a version of that same 2.0-liter turbo-four in the new hybrid [AMG C63](). While the C63 is a vastly different car that weighs far more than a Lotus should, the Brits could borrow some of that hybrid hardware and know-how to develop their own system, to keep the Emira alive and compliant with future regulations. Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) are also exempt from European tariffs placed on Chinese-built EVs. So while the Emira is built in the U.K., it could still skirt additional tariffs if hybrid powertrain development moves to China. However, *Autocar* also highlighted that Qingfeng isn't in favor of plug-in hybrids, like AMG's system, since some of them require daily plug-ins to benefit from the full power of the electric motor. Many don't, though, as their engines can charge them enough to maintain complete combined hybrid power. Instead, he favors extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs), which use internal combustion engines to recharge their batteries and extend range. The trouble with EREVs is that when they're totally out of juice and the vehicle relies purely on the engine's energy recuperation, they suffer a dramatic loss in power and performance. Lotus is apparently working on a 900-volt electrical system that can recharge quickly enough from the engine that such power losses never happen. If Lotus prefers that direction, the Emira's fate is probably sealed, and perhaps we'll see an EREV version of its upcoming electric sports car. If not, Lotus' new embrace of hybrid powertrains and course reversal from a fully electric lineup could breathe new life into the mid-engined two-seater. The Emira sticking around as a purely hybrid sports car, dropping the [Toyota]()-sourced V6, would mean the death of its manual transmission, too. But I think it's safe to say that the world would be better with an automatic-only, hybrid Emira than no Emira at all. Who knows—maybe if we merely get a few more years of an ICE-only Emira out of this shift in direction than we otherwise might've, it'll have all been worth it. *Got tips? Send 'em to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()