Green Version of Lotus Elite Supercar to Feature Toyota-Made Hybrid Drivetrain
By Scott Doggett September 27, 2010Turns out the production prototype of the Lotus Elite hybrid we told you about a week ago, that will debut at the Paris Auto Show in coming days, will contain a Toyota-made hybrid powertrain.
Lotus will offer the Toyota-supplied gasoline-electric drivetrain as an option on the $179,000 5.0-liter, V-8 Lotus Elite slated to go on sale in 2014, according to a source at Lotus.
As previously reported, the green version of 3.5-seconds-0-60 car will come with a hybrid gearbox with integrated electric motors and regenerative braking to recharge the battery.
According to the source, Lotus is hoping Toyota will supply the British automaker with hybrid components for future models. Toyota did not immediately confirm any of this, but it's made no secret of the fact that it wants to sell hybrid components to other automakers to defray costs.
Indeed, Japanese automakers Subaru and Mazda have agreed to buy Toyota hybrid components for future models and Mercedes-Benz is said to be in talks with Toyota to do the same.
Toyota announced last month that it had sold 2.68 million hybrid vehicles worldwide since first introducing the technology in August 1997 in its Coaster Hybrid EV minibus, its first hybrid vehicle. The company launched the Prius in December of the same year.
Toyota aims to sell 1 million hybrids a year as early as possible this decade and wants to offer a hybrid version in each vehicle series of its lineup in the 2020s.
LEAVE A COMMENT