Lotus revealed its new Theory 1 electric sports car, a concept that the automaker says “embodies the future of intelligent performance vehicles.”
It’s a visual aid for Lotus’ new Digital, Natural, and Analogue (DNA — get it?) design principles on which it plans to base its performance vehicles for the modern era.
Theory 1 features Lotus’ new “Lotuswear” interior that promises an immersive and personalized driving experience. It adapts physically to the driver and passengers, making seats more comfortable and communicating with lights and haptic feedback that can tell you when to make a turn, for example.
The interior materials are lightweight robotic textiles built by MotorSkins that use inflatable pods in the seating and steering wheel that dynamically adjust while driving. You’ll probably need that assist, too, as the concept outputs almost 1000 horsepower, has a top speed of 320km per hour (nearly 200mph), and a 0–62mph acceleration in less than 2.5 seconds.
Lotuswear also encapsulates all the other modern technology hardware and software bits of the vehicle, including an OLED screen, artificial “speed” sounds, interior noise-canceling, and immersive audio.
It’s also Level 4-capable with self-driving hardware that includes four lidar sensors and six HD cameras, as well as an Nvidia Drive computer platform for real-time processing around the car. And it features steer-by-wire with an electric range of 250 miles (WTLP).
The Theory 1 is not slated to go into production; it’s meant to serve as a “canvas” for R&D, according to Lotus. The automaker’s parent company, Geely, is working to reinvent Lotus into the electric age, and it has some cool EVs in the pipeline like the Emeya. The Theory 1 concept shows the British automaker still believes in lightweight sports cars — just like the Japanese.
