Until it’s formally revealed on March 29, European time, this might be our best view of the Lotus Type 132 electric crossover.
When it launches, the Type 132 will be the largest and heaviest Lotus ever made. It will be interesting to see how the automaker manages to “simplify, and then add lightness” to a family-friendly crossover.
From these patent images submitted by Wuhan Lotus to IP Australia, we can see the Type 132 builds on the design language laid out by the Emira coupe and Evija hypercar, especially with the bonnet surfacing.
In addition to the wide LED headlights up front and full-width tail-lights at the back, the Type 132 features flush-fitting pop-out door handles and what appear to be camera pods instead of traditional wing mirrors.
While the crossover’s long rear overhang has us thinking of third-row seats, the small rear quarter window seems to suggest otherwise.
As well as breaking new ground in terms of size and packaging, the Type 132 will be built in China at a new $1.7 billion factory in Wuhan alongside the company’s other “lifestyle” vehicles.
The company’s signature sports cars are built at the Lotus plant in Hethel, UK.
If the Type 132 is a sales success, it will see the English sports car brand chart a course for long-term survival in the footsteps of Porsche.
Based on the company’s new Premium architecture, which supports wheelbases ranging from 2889mm to 3100mm, with the Type 132 likely to fit in the upper end of that scale.
Lotus says Premium architecture vehicles will employ a 800V electrical architecture, use batteries between 92 and 120kWh, and at their most powerful boast 0-100km/h times of under three seconds.
The Type 132 will be part of the company’s most aggressive product roll-out in history with four new electric cars set between now and 2026.
After the Type 132 is out, there’s a Mercedes-Benz CLS-sized “four-door coupe” due in 2023, a smaller crossover in 2025, and a sports car in 2026.
The latter uses the E-Sport architecture that will be shared with Alpine.
