Lotus range extender engine set for production

Lotus Engineering, the automotive consultancy division of Lotus Cars, and Fagor Ederlan, part of the Mondragon Corporation Cooperativa, the biggest co-operative group in the world, have completed a joint technical and market study analysing the best route to production for the Lotus Range Extender Engine. The study has culminated with an agreement for Lotus Engineering to develop the engine for series production and sale by Fagor Ederlan for the global automotive market. The three-cylinder, 1.2 litre Range Extender engine from Lotus Engineering has been designed specifically for series hybrid vehicles and the production engine will offer a fast route to market for manufacturers wanting to source a dedicated range extender. Lotus says the high efficiency, low mass design will enable low emissions vehicles to be produced cost effectively across a wide range of hybrid vehicle applications, as already demonstrated in both the Lotus Evora 414E Hybrid and the Proton Emas concepts, which were shown at the Geneva Motor Show this year.