The Lotus Theory 1 Concept Is The Sexiest EV You’ve Ever Seen!

Lotus is moving towards an all-electric future, and understandably people are nervous about the British company’s shifts to EVs. But after getting a look at the Lotus Theory 1 Concept today, those concerns should be alleviated somewhat, as they appear to be staying close to their sportscar roots, while embracing the inevitable future.

And I’ve got to say, it’s pretty hard to argue with a two-door sports car with 987 horsepower, all-wheel drive, and a target weight of under 3,500 pounds with a 70.0-kilowatt-hour battery pack. One that will sprint from 0-60 in just 2.5 seconds, with a top speed of 200 mph. Those are some pretty serious numbers.

Sure, it’s easy to dismiss the Theory 1 as just another concept that won’t see the light of day, but honestly it seems rather fleshed out, so maybe just maybe some form of the Theory 1 will come to market in the future. We can only hope, as Lotus really needs a win.

“With Theory 1, we’ve built on everything Lotus has achieved so far in its 76-year history, to push the boundaries for what it means to drive a performance vehicle. We want to demonstrate that you don’t need to compromise – with both digital and analogue capabilities working harmoniously in the future car. In doing this, we are able to bring drivers the best possible immersive driving experience with raw emotion, functionality and connectivity, at the core,” said Ben Payne, Vice President of Design, Lotus Group.

Lotus has developed a proprietary sports car door system that enables all occupants with easy ‘step-in’ access to the car with its reverse opening and wrap-over design. With this, Lotus has been able to achieve the smallest footprint it can with the doors opened, allowing for practical use of doors even in narrow spaces. For instance, if a car is parked in a tight car park with a 2.4-meter space, the driver will still be able to get in and out of the vehicle with ease. This has previously been a challenge with similar high-performance sports cars.

Furthermore, Theory 1 is a three-seater sports car which has a central driving position, with a passenger on each side, nestled behind the driver. Inspired by motorsports, the driver’s seat in the middle of the car provides the driver with the best possible visibility of the road ahead, as well as easy access to all controls. It’s not unlike the seating setup in the iconic McLaren F1.

The inside of the vehicle structure has also been shaped around the human body, with seating integrated into the structure. Lotus has designed the car, to respond to the occupant’s body. For instance, the steering wheel and pedals all move towards the driver. Lotus also developed its own proprietary driver system called LOTUSWEAR, which is an immersive system that aims to deliver a personalized experience to every occupant in the car.

This features an adaptive soft and lightweight robotic textile material, seamlessly enabling the car to communicate with the driver and passengers and offer a more intuitive and comfortable in-car experience. It does this through inflatable pods on the seating and steering wheel that will react in real time to offer more support, grip, and subtle prompts via haptic feedback.

The car also features steer-by-wire, which enables precision and control at every turn and the ability to adjust steering ratios, speed and feel. This is designed to deliver precision and the smoothest ride, further enhancing driver confidence, and connecting them to the road.

No doubt about it, the Lotus Theory 1 Concept is the sexiest EV I’ve ever seen, and it appears to have the performance to match that supercar styling, along with some really futuristic features we haven’t seen before in a car. Hopefully some rather well-heeled customers come knocking at Lotus’ door and convince them to make this stunner a reality.

What do you think of the Lotus Theory 1 Concept?