Lotus Emira to Be Replaced by $95,000 Electric Elise with Target MSRP

Elise costs a pretty penny.

Renowned as the heir to the adored Lotus Elise, an electric sports car, currently referred to as Type 135, is projected to have a estimated cost of around $95,000. According to Autocar, Lotus expressed that this price point will play a vitally significant role in determining the triumph of the new electric model as a replacement for the former Elise. Additionally, Type 135 will take the place of the existing Emira, the final combustion-powered vehicle by Lotus, with planned deliveries to customers set for 2027. The timing couldn’t be more perfect, considering the anticipated arrival of the Porsche 718 EV in 2025.

According to Mike Johnstone, chief commercial officer of the Lotus Group, “It’s something that’s not a big step on from where we are at the moment, but we recognized that there’s going to be a lot of new technology.” He acknowledges that this presents an engineering challenge and is where the company needs to be in the market. Therefore, their teams will need to work diligently to ensure that they can achieve the desired price point.

To put it differently, the Type 135’s eventual price tag will show a significant rise. However, in order to ensure an enjoyable driving experience for an electric vehicle, investments must be made.

Despite having a low production rate, the Type 135 is expected to play a crucial role for Lotus. Lotus has estimated an annual sales target of 10,000-15,000 units for this model. The higher earners for the company will be the Eletre SUV and Type 134, which is set to rival Porsche’s Macan EV under the Lotus brand. Anticipating strong demand, Lotus projects sales of 50,000 for the Eletre and 90,000 for the smaller crossover each year. However, this will not be an easy feat to achieve. Just a few days ago, Porsche unveiled its impressive Macan EV, making it a tough competitor.

Lotus is determined to stay true to its fundamental principles and not stray too far from its core values. As Johnstone, a representative for the brand, stated, “We call it the bullseye.” He emphasized the importance of keeping the lightweight sports car at the heart of their brand. This serves as the foundation for developing other products with sporty features, which adds to their credibility.

According to Johnson, the Eletre may not give off the same vibe as the Elise, and the upcoming electric Elise successor won’t either. However, he assures that it will still possess a “lightweight feeling.”

While it may seem like an excuse, BMW M cars have a surprising sense of lightness that belies their actual weight. So don’t lose hope. While we would love to see a truly lightweight electric sports car akin to Caterham’s creation, it seems that the driving performance of such vehicles will largely be controlled by software.

Lotus recently announced that the next model to succeed the Elise will be created and produced in their Hethel headquarters. While Lotus has strong connections with the Chinese car market, they have made it clear that the Type 135 will stay true to its British roots. Despite the collaboration with Alpine coming to an end, Lotus assures that the development of the Type 135 is proceeding as planned.

Our sole focus lies in the cost. Indeed, Lotus has shifted towards a higher-end market. The Emira is a vehicle priced at $100,000, while the Elise was only half that amount in 2011. Even with adjustments for inflation, it would still only come to $68k. However, the upcoming Elise EV will serve as the successor to the Emira, which took the place of the Evora 400 – a car that was sold for $95k during its last year on the market.

Cheers to the possibility of the company one day producing a classic Lotus model for those of us with modest incomes.