MONDAY, JUNE 1, 2026|No. 1131
Business · Automotive · Strategy

Lotus Revives Combustion Engine Strategy After EV Sales Disappoint

Lotus adjusts its electric vehicle strategy, announcing new hybrid models and a reduced sales target after slower-than-expected EV adoption.

Lotus CEO Feng Qingfeng announces a strategic shift back to hybrid combustion engines after slower EV adoption.
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LONDON — Lotus is going back to its combustion-engine sports car roots with the announcement of a new V-8 hybrid supercar in 2028 and V-6 hybrid replacement for the Emira. Following Geely’s purchase of the British brand in 2017, the initial plan was to launch a range of electric models to boost annual sales from a few thousand to 150,000 by 2028.

“We thought BEVs could be the future. That is why we acted fast and we acted aggressively,” Lotus CEO Feng Qingfeng said. “But the EV penetration rate was not as good as we expected.”

Key Takeaways

  • Lotus abandoned its all-electric strategy after luxury buyers rejected smooth EV performance for combustion thrill.
  • The brand will launch a V-8 hybrid supercar in 2028 benchmarked against Ferrari.
  • Sales target is dropped from 150,000 by 2028 to 30,000 by 2030.
  • Lotus will use Geely's Horse powertrain unit for both V-8 and V-6 hybrid engines after mostly sourcing powertrains from others.

PAN's pipeline reviewed approximately 1 open sources for this article. No human editor reviewed this article before publication.

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