Lotus Engineering has unveiled a dramatic new design study for a next-generation pure electric endurance racer that could be on the starting grid of circuits around the world for the 2030 season. The E-R9 EV features a fighter jet-style canopy centrally mounted in a delta-wing upper body. Innovations include advanced active aerodynamics with “morphing” body panels and vertically mounted control surfaces to assist with high-speed cornering.
The race concept highlights Lotus’ racing and engineering heritage. It is finished in black and gold in recognition of Lotus’ motorsport heritage and its 13 Formula 1 championship titles. E-R stands for Endurance Racer, while 9 is the car’s competition number chosen in tribute to Lotus’ racing past. It was in a Lotus Mark IX that the race team made its debut at the 1955 Le Mans 24 Hours, with company founder Colin Chapman among the drivers competing. If raced in 2030, the E-R9 would be in celebration of the Mark IX’s 75th anniversary.
The design study also highlights the skills of Lotus Engineering, the consultancy side of the business that delivers projects for external clients. The car has been created as a technology showcase of its philosophy, capability, and innovative spirit in the fields of advanced electrified powertrains and aerodynamics.
As part of the ongoing transformation of Lotus, the engineering consultancy has a new home in Wellesbourne, Warwickshire, on the University of Warwick campus. It is engaging with many new collaborators and customers. Just last month, a new technical tie-up was announced with Alpine, the performance division of Groupe Renault.
As part of it, Lotus Engineering will lead the development of a new EV sportscar architecture, from which both Lotus and Alpine will launch new models later this decade. The two will also explore the development of a joint-services offer combining their engineering expertise. A collaboration to leverage Alpine’s motorsport platform covering Formula One to endurance racing is also under study.
“This collaboration, along with our transformation, marks the beginning of a new era in which we’ll be taking the Alpine name and line-up to the future,” said Laurent Rossi, CEO, Alpine. “We’re putting F1 at the heart of our business, leveraging our in-house expertise and best-in-class partners such as Lotus to inject our cars with leading-edge performance, technology, and motorization.”
Alpine has plans for a “100% electric dream garage.” In addition to the 100% EV replacement of the A110 developed with Lotus, it is planning an all-electric B-segment hot hatch based on the Alliance CMF-B EV platform and all-electric C-segment sports crossover based on the Alliance CMF-EV platform.
The Alpine/Lotus deal “is a natural fit in many ways and the co-development of an EV sportscar is hugely exciting for our companies, our fans, and customers around the world,” said Phil Popham, CEO, Lotus Cars. “The joint-services element of our agreement will additionally make our engineering expertise available to those wishing to engage our innovations.”
Back to the E-R9. It was developed by the engineering team of Richard Hill, Chief Aerodynamicist at Lotus, and Louis Kerr, Principal Platform Engineer on the Lotus Evija pure-electric hypercar as well as Technical Director, GT, Geely Group Motorsports International. The striking shape was brought to life by the Lotus Design team led by Russell Carr, Design Director for Lotus.
“What we’ve tried to do is to push the boundaries of where we are technically today and extrapolate into the future,” said Hill. “The Lotus E-R9 incorporates technologies which we fully expect to develop and be practical.”
Chief among the car’s aero innovations are its morphing body panels. Located across the delta-wing profile, the adaptability is intended to deliver minimum drag on the straights and maximum downforce in the corners. This would be achieved by active surfaces that can change their shape and attitude to the airflow either at the press of a button or automatically according to sensor inputs. Vertical control surfaces at the rear would generate aerodynamic forces to help the car change direction beyond the limitations of grip at the tire contact patch.
Lotus says the result is a racer that’s partly driven like a car and partly flown like a fighter jet.
The E-R9 features an advanced electric drivetrain powering each wheel independently with torque-vectoring. It builds on technology already integrated on the Evija, though for the E-R9 it would be fully adjustable by the driver on the move.
“Battery energy density and power density are developing significantly year on year,” said Kerr. “Before 2030, we’ll have mixed cell chemistry batteries that give the best of both worlds, as well as the ability to ‘hot swap’ batteries during pitstops.”
For more on the exciting future of Lotus Engineering, read the blog post by Dan Burge, Commercial Director.
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