Lotus has launched its own electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions, including an ultra-fast 450 kW DC charger, power cabinet and a modular unit for charging up to four vehicles at once.
The sports car maker sats charging anxiety remains one of the main barriers to electric vehicle adoption, with nearly 80% of the public citing the lack of charging infrastructure as a primary reason for not buying an EV in a survey conducted by the Energy Policy Institute.
The new suite of EV charging solutions designed for businesses includes:
- Liquid-Cooled All-in-One DC Charger: a new charger, which offers ultra-fast charging of up to 450 kW. For example, with the Lotus Eletre R, it can add up to 88.5 miles or 142 km of range with approximately 5 minutes of charge making it one of the most competitive electric vehicle chargers. A 10% to 80% charge can be achieved in just 20 minutes with a range extension of 74 miles or 120 kilometres from a 5-minute charge when using a 350 kW Rapid Charger.
- Liquid-Cooled Power Cabinet: a modular power cabinet that is suited for spaces that require high energy in order to increase efficiency and minimise charging time, such as motorway rest stops. It offers market-leading power output capabilities of up to 480 kW.
- Liquid-Cooled Charging Unit: a charging terminal, which when used with the Liquid-Cooled Power Cabinet, can charge up to four vehicles at once. The unit has a maximum current output of 600 Amp, which ensures it is able to meet the needs of all electric vehicle drivers. For instance, if they need a short top-up whilst on the go, or fast-charge for long distance drives, Lotus’ new offering provides them with a convenient solution.
Lotus is using liquid-cooled technologies throughout its suite of commercial charging solutions to make it easier and quicker for EV drivers to charge their vehicles.
The firm’s fast-charging solutions have already been deployed in China and are expected to roll out across the majority of European countries and Middle East in Q2 2024. Further market availability will be announced in due course.
As charging infrastructure improves over time, Lotus is ensuring its customers are equipped by providing a 450 kW solution. Lotus has futureproofed its charging offering, which is expected to be the next step forward in fast charging when the infrastructure becomes readily available. Lotus customers will be able to easily upgrade to this power output without additional hardware costs once in-market service providers rollout grid upgrades.
Mike Johnstone, Chief Commercial Officer at Lotus Group, said: “Over the past six years, Lotus has been investing in the technology and infrastructure to accelerate the transition to electrification. We want to make it easier than ever to own an electric vehicle and with our latest offerings, Lotus is able to provide customers with the confidence to access easy, fast, and efficient charging.”
Alan Wang, Vice-President of Lotus Technology and CEO at Lotus Flash Charge, said: “As more governments are increasing investment into electrification in their journey to net-zero, the demand for a reliable electric vehicle charging infrastructure has never been higher than before. Lotus has developed best-in-class fast charging solutions to deliver a quick and reliable charging experience to meet customer needs.”
In 2018, Lotus announced its Vision80 strategy and plans to transform the brand from a British sports car maker to an all-electric global luxury technology brand by 2028. As part of this transition, the company is committed to developing its own range of EV charging solutions.
The company launched its first electric hyper-SUV Eletre in 2022, with customer deliveries across UK, Europe and China taking place this year. Lotus recently launched Emeya, its next-generation electric hyper-GT, in early September 2023.
Both vehicles integrate hardware, software, and cloud capabilities to deve op a full stack of intelligent driving technologies. They also include HD cameras, radar, and high-precision mapping capabilities to allow the vehicles to precisely perceive their environment in a stereoscopic display, providing a smooth drive even in extreme conditions. Lotus will continue to expand its range of premium electric vehicles, as the company looks to scale in this growing market.
Lotus says it has seen a huge demand for its products, with an orderbook of over 19,000 vehicles for its Emira sports car and Eletre hyper-SUV. The company has ramped up production this year, having had a record-breaking first half of 2023, and expects the full year to surpass all previous years.
