Battery supplier Britishvolt and sports car manufacturer Lotus completed their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that aims to develop "a new battery cell package" that will power future electric sports cars. This project was teased alongside a rough sketch of an incoming car codenamed Type 135.
Lotus Cars is a UK-based automotive company that manufactures sports cars and racing cars. Note that this Geely-owned company is also a seven-time winner in the Formula One World Championship series. Taking all of this into consideration, some fans anticipate its next big project with Britishvolt.
Lotus and Britishvolt Partnership
According to Just Auto, Lotus Cars Managing Director Matt Windle announced "Lotus is delighted to be collaborating with Britishvolt to develop new battery cell technology to showcase the thrilling performance that a Lotus EV sports car can deliver."
The director further elaborated that this partnership is the "first exciting steps on the journey towards an all-new electric sports car from Lotus." He also teased "we will be unveiling the Type 132, an all-new and all-electric Lotus SUV and we've confirmed three more EVs are on the way."
Britishvolt Battery Cells
The message was a bit ambiguous, so it's hard to determine how much progress their partnership is making. Fortunately, other internet sources data mined the details of the announcement.
According to Green Car Reports, that partnership prompts Britishvolt to develop a new battery pack for incoming cars. It is undetermined whether the battery packs will be a cell-to-package strategy or something else. What is certain is that the new battery packs will prioritize fast charging, energy density optimization, and weight reduction.
The collaboration is estimated to cost $135 million. Britishvolt is reportedly building its cell manufacturing facility in a former power-station coal stockyard. Rumors also say that this new battery pack will be loaded on the incoming Lotus car, Type 135. Green Car Reports posted pictures of this highly anticipated vehicle.
Lotus Electric Sports Car: Type 135
Keep in mind that "Type 135" is only a codename for the incoming vehicle, and official details for the car have yet to be revealed. Base on the photos, some data miners noticed that this vehicle will have "clear nods" to Lotus heritage models like Esprit and Elan. Type 135 might also have similarities with the iconic Elise sports car!
Green Car Reports noted that Lotus Evija supercars are scheduled to launch this year, which means the new battery package and Type 135 would be a secondary project. Its official launch might take until year 2026 at the earliest.
As previously mentioned, all the information listed is taken from rumors and data miners, so details are subject to change. Readers are advised to take this information with a pinch of salt and a level of skepticism. Fans who are interested in accurate information are recommended to watch out for official updates through Lotus Cars website.
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