Lotus is committed to becoming a pure electric brand by 2028, and as part of the commitment the automaker is investing in charging infrastructure to help make the transition to electric power more convenient for owners.
Lotus has developed its own DC fast chargers and has already installed them at locations in China. Lotus isn’t building its own charging stations, like the Supercharger network pioneered by Tesla, but is instead working with fleets, dealerships, and companies that operate charging stations to have the fast chargers installed at strategic locations.
The company wants to have its chargers, which are designed to work with EVs from rival brands, located in the majority of European countries and parts of the Middle East by the second half of 2024. Details for the U.S. haven’t been announced.
The fast chargers have the ability to deliver charging rates of up to 450 kw, which is significantly higher than most DC fast chargers in operation today, including Tesla’s Superchargers. In the Lotus Eletre R SUV, Lotus said such a rate can deliver almost 90 miles of range in as little as five minutes of charging time, and a 10-80% charge in just 20 minutes.
Lotus Emeya
Chargers with a charging rate of up to 350 kw have also been developed, and can deliver almost 75 miles of range in five minutes, according to Lotus.
Lotus rival Porsche is building out its own network of charging stations, and the first locations feature chargers that deliver charging rates of up to 300 kw. Porsche plans to add chargers capable of delivering charging rates of up to 400 kw in the near future.
Lotus is quickly expanding its EV offerings. The latest is the Emeya sedan that was unveiled in September. It follows the Electre midsize SUV and Evija hypercar. A compact crossover and sports car are also in the works. The latter will replace the Emira, which Lotus has confirmed is its final model to feature a gas engine.
