Lotus Hyper Hybrid can run 100% on ICE-Power

Lotus confirmed during its third-quarter earnings call that it is changing its Vision 80 electrification strategy to include 900V super hybrid electric vehicle technology. These upcoming products aim to combine the benefits of electric vehicles with a range of gasoline-powered models.

Lotus CEO Feng Qingfeng said through a translator that the upcoming hybrid vehicle will be more than just an extended-range electric vehicle. This is certainly the case as they can in some cases be powered entirely by gasoline engines. The executive was tight-lipped on specifics, but mentioned highway travel as using the engine more efficiently at highway speeds.

MORE: Lotus reportedly becomes latest brand to abandon all-electric plans

Qingfeng went on to say that unlike traditional extended-range vehicles, their hybrid vehicles will always provide Lotus-like performance. To ensure this, Dual Supercharge technology is used, allowing for ultra-fast charging when plugged in and while the car is in motion.

In the latter case, the gasoline engine will apparently act as a generator and charge the battery at a rate of “five times typical driving power consumption.” This is expected to provide “uninterrupted electric performance in all conditions, including high-speed acceleration and extreme cold weather.”

Thanks to the combination of electric powertrain and gasoline engine, Lotus vehicles equipped with the super hybrid system will have a combined driving range of more than 690 miles (1,110 kilometers). This is a huge improvement over the Eletre, which has a WLTP range of 254 to 373 miles (409 – 600 km) in the UK.

While the petrol engine is the biggest draw, the company doesn’t seem to have forgotten about the electric vehicle aspect. Quite the contrary, when plugged into an ultra-fast charger, the battery can be charged from 10% to 80% in just 10 minutes.