Editor’s note: the following is the full official press release issued by Lotus Cars on 11 May 2026 under embargo to 00:01 BST on Tuesday 12 May 2026. Reproduced in full and unedited for the Club Lotus archive. A considered editorial piece will follow in the next edition of Club Lotus News and on this site.
Lotus Cars — Media Information
Lotus unveils Focus 2030: Reinforcing brand DNA with all-new hybrid-V8 supercar
- Focus 2030 targets market competitiveness and sustainable business operations through brand reinforcement and unification, close partner collaboration, financial discipline and a multi-powertrain strategy.
- New proprietary X-Hybrid performance technology will be the first of its kind to come to market in Europe in Q4 2026, with over 1,000 orders taken in China in the first month for Eletre X — showing early momentum.
- Type 135 confirmed as an all-new hybrid-V8 supercar coming to market in 2028, reaffirming Lotus’ performance DNA.
London, UK — 11 May 2026
Lotus today announced Focus 2030, its evolved business strategy designed to underpin its competitiveness and transform into a more flexible sustainable business model, ensuring market resilience amid external headwinds.
Built on four core pillars including brand reinforcement, a multi-powertrain strategy, close partner collaboration and financial discipline, the strategy marks a significant reset for the brand.
Qingfeng Feng, CEO, Lotus Group said: “Lotus was born from the rebellious spirit of Colin Chapman, and that is not lost today. Focus 2030 will reset both the brand and the business to keep us true to our DNA. We are obsessed with engineering, obsessed with performance and obsessed with building drivers’ cars, and that is what will grow this business.”
Protecting What Makes Lotus, Lotus
Focus 2030 puts the Lotus DNA at the heart of every decision. Regardless of product or powertrain, every Lotus has, and will be, developed against the same set of guiding principles: lightweight, aerodynamics, obsessive engineering and driver engagement.
Lotus has been instrumental in shaping automotive culture for 78 years — redefining the limits of performance in racing and building the most engaging road cars in the world. This continues under Focus 2030, with design and engineering rooted in the UK, home of the brand’s identity and motorsport expertise, and R&D in China to deliver rapid scale to market.
A multi-powertrain strategy, built around the customer
As regulatory and consumer landscapes continue to evolve globally at different speeds, Lotus will pursue an agile approach across ICE (internal combustion engine), PHEV (hybrid electric vehicle) and BEV (battery electric vehicle), targeting an approximately 60% PHEV / 40% BEV volume mix over its electrified portfolio in the short term, and a customer-led transition to full electrification.
Hybrid technology will play a central role, serving specific customer needs. First to come is X-Hybrid, which is a unique blend of its ICE and BEV performance expertise, delivering long-range, flexibility and practicality alongside sustained high performance and Lotus’ trademark driver engagement.
Lotus’ proprietary X-Hybrid technology was first launched on the Eletre, as Eletre X (and ‘For Me’ in China). Customer deliveries have started in China, and early vehicle reception has been well received, with more than 1,000 pre-orders placed in the first month alone. Customer deliveries in Europe are expected to begin in Q4 2026, making it the first technology of its kind to come to market.
Reaffirming the brand’s performance DNA, the next development of Lotus’ proprietary hybrid technology will be the unveiling of its first ever supercar, Type 135, planned for 2028. This will be an all-new car, featuring a V8 hybrid powertrain, with over 1000PS. It is expected to be manufactured in Europe, and further details of the car will be announced later this year.
Emira continuity is confirmed, reflecting both Lotus’ commitment to manufacturing in the UK and sustained consumer demand for its combustion-engine sportscars. The company will unveil an update in the coming weeks, designed to be the most powerful and lightest Emira built.
Lotus’ BEV portfolio — Eletre (SUV), Emeya (GT) and Evija (hypercar) — remains a core pillar of the business, having brought new customers to the marque and broadened its commercial foundation. Lotus was an early adopter of 800V architecture through its electric SUV and GT offerings and remains committed to continued BEV innovation.
Built to compete globally
Lotus’ close collaboration with major shareholder Geely Holding Group is central to Focus 2030. The two businesses are working together on technology development, supply-chain competitiveness and manufacturing efficiencies to increase go-to-market speed, global scale and margin resilience.
The partnership gives Lotus access to world-class electrification capabilities and resources, while Lotus contributes its globally recognised performance engineering expertise and brand equity to Geely Holding Group’s portfolio.
Underpinning this is the integration of Lotus UK and Lotus Technology into a single entity, unifying the brand, streamlining governance, reducing costs and accelerating engineering integration for next-generation performance vehicles. The unification of the two entities is expected to be completed later this year.
Daniel Li, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Lotus Technology, and Executive Vice Chairman of Geely Holding Group said: “Geely has believed in Lotus from the beginning, and that belief has not wavered. We are committed to giving Lotus the resources it deserves to compete at the highest level. What Lotus brings is irreplaceable, and Focus 2030 is proof that we take that responsibility seriously. We are excited for the next chapter in the brand’s story.”
Restoring financial discipline
Focus 2030 sets a clear commercial direction for the business, focusing on targeted volumes, stronger margins and a greater emphasis on personalisation. Lotus is guiding towards a steady ramp up to 30,000 sales units annually as its full model line-up stabilises, which will enable the business to reach sustained profitability.
Over the last year, Lotus has made significant improvements across its entities to increase operational efficiency. At Lotus UK, it has reduced costs across its operations and supply chain by creating a flexible production hub in Hethel, UK. Lotus Technology has also increased cost optimisation and operational efficiency, demonstrated by its improved margin performance in its full year 2025 results.
The company has targeted a clear and diverse strategy across its core markets:
- China — the primary volume growth engine, leveraging strong demand for premium new energy vehicles (NEV).
- Europe — building on racing heritage and British engineering brand equity across a diverse powertrain portfolio.
- North America — strategy anchored in sportscars, with new SUV market opportunity in Canada.
- APAC and Middle East — foundations have been developed and the brand is now active in 25 markets across the region, providing opportunities to reach new customers with its entire product portfolio.
[ENDS]
Note to editors
X-Hybrid Fact Sheet
X-Hybrid demonstrates Lotus’ technology innovation leadership and is designed to deliver on Lotus’ core brand principles:
- 900V architecture and up to 952 PS and 935 Nm of torque, putting the vehicle in super-SUV territory and amongst the luxury high-performance benchmarks.
- EV-only range of up to 350 km¹; comprehensive range exceeding 1,200 km, without refuelling or charging.
- 0–100 km/h in 3.3 seconds, with sustained performance and minimal degradation (10% power level, 0–100 km/h acceleration in 3.5 seconds).
- 70 kWh battery charging from 20–80% in just 9 minutes, making it one of the fastest-charging electrified vehicles to come to market¹.
- 48-volt active anti-roll system; dual-chamber air suspension with dual-valve dampers reacting in as little as two milliseconds; and six-piston Brembo brakes — all delivering the world-class dynamics, handling and driver feel that customers know from Lotus.
- 360-degree performance and everyday usability without compromise.
¹ In optimal conditions. Charging and range time may vary depending on a number of factors including charging station power output, battery health and temperature, and more.
Market rollout plans
| Product | Segment | Powertrain | Launch | First delivery | Market rollout | MRSP from* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evija | Hypercar | BEV | 2019 | 2023 | Global: UK & Europe, US, APAC & Middle East, China | £2,000,000 |
| Emira | Mid-engine sportscar | ICE | 2021 | 2022 | Global: UK & Europe, US, APAC & Middle East, China | £79,500 |
| Eletre | SUV — E segment | BEV / PHEV | 2022 / 2026 | 2023 / 2026 | UK & Europe, APAC & Middle East, China, Canada; Eletre Carbon in US. China deliveries begun; Europe Q4 2026 | £84,990 |
| Emeya | Sedan — E segment | BEV | 2023 | 2024 | UK & Europe, APAC & Middle East, China | £84,990 |
| Type 135 | Supercar | Hybrid–V8 | 2028 | 2028 | TBC | TBC |
*Dependent on chosen model and excludes options, specifications, taxes, delivery charges. Lotus reserves the right to revise its prices in the future due to, but not limited to, availability of materials, delivery costs, inflation and changes in (local) taxes.
Financial results For information on Lotus’ financial results, please visit Lotus Technology Investor Relations: ir.group-lotus.com
About Lotus We make cars, for the drivers. Everything we do is in relentless pursuit of performance.
Media queries rk@beforethestorm.co
Source: Lotus Cars Ltd press release, “Lotus unveils Focus 2030: Reinforcing brand DNA with all-new hybrid-V8 supercar”, issued 11 May 2026, embargoed to 00:01 BST 12 May 2026. Official release and press image pack: lotuscars.com/en/press/news/lotus-unveils-focus-2030
Reproduced in full as a primary-source record for the Club Lotus archive. Watch this site and the next edition of Club Lotus News for our editorial response, heritage context and member commentary.
