Lotus unveils Theory 1 concept to highlight new design direction

MANILA: Lotus has pulled the covers off the “Theory 1” concept car at the recently concluded IAA Mobility Show held in Munich, Germany. 

The said concept vehicle heralds the Lotus Theory - the brand’s new design language, which the carmaker says will dictate the looks of all of its upcoming vehicles moving forward. 

Appearance-wise, the Lotus Theory 1, or simply T1, is a two-door electric-powered all-wheel-drive supercar that wears an abundance of sharply hewn recycled carbon fiber aero bits combined with a slick and fluid-looking roofline. 

The exposed carbon fiber parts on the vehicle are the most striking visual aspect of the car, as they comprise most of the ducts and fins on its lower front section, as well as its side pods and rear diffuser. The white painted areas on the vehicle, however, are made out of cellulose composite. Its main canopy also uses recycled glazing, whereas its wheels were sourced from recycled aluminum. All dark metal parts, meanwhile, are made out of titanium. 

The theme of recycled lightweight materials is continued inside the vehicle. Specifically, it boasts a cockpit made almost entirely of recycled carbon fiber. Controlling the T1 is done via a yoke-type steering wheel. 

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Interestingly, its driving position bears a strong semblance to the low-positioned seating arrangement found on Formula One cars. However, the vehicle is a three-seater with the passenger seats flanking the center driver’s seat. 

Its actual seats, meanwhile, are made up of a combination of elastomeric polyurethane for its latticework headrests, recycled polyester for comfort padding, and more recycled carbon fiber for its main structure.

For its driving amenities, the Lotus T1 was fitted with the following components: 

• OLED display
• 360-degree autonomous driving sensor suite
• Six high-definition cameras
• Four deployable LiDAR systems
• Nvidia Drive

To note, the Nvidia Drive is the brain of the Lotus T1. It handles all of the car's advanced technologies, and it is touted to be capable of processing trillions of operations per second. 

For its powertrain, the Lotus T1 uses a 70-kilowatt-hour battery paired with a dual motor setup that propels both front and rear wheels. At maximum, the said system can generate up to 1,000 horsepower. It also boasts a range of 402 kilometers (km), according to the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure. 

Thanks to its horsepower output figure, the Lotus T1 is said to be capable of reaching a top speed of 320 kilometers per hour. 

Here is a list of other notable mechanical bits present on the Lotus T1: 

• Carbon ceramic braking system
• Bespoke tires based on the Pirelli P Zero Elect series
• Front and rear double wishbone suspension system
• Active damping system
• Steer-by-wire system

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