Lightweight chassis propels EV development at Lotus

Developed under Project LEVA (Lightweight Electric Vehicle Architecture), the adaptable frame can support multiple vehicle configurations, including two and four seaters, different wheelbases, and a variety of battery sizes and layouts.

According to Lotus, the rear structure of the chassis – made from high-strength BD1 aluminium developed at Brunel university - is 37 per cent lighter than it is on the Lotus Emira V6, a £60k sports car launched this summer by the Hethel-based carmaker and the last of its offerings with an internal combustion engine.

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Project LEVA has been led by engineer Richard Rackham, head of Vehicle Concepts at Lotus, who is best known for his work on development of the extruded aluminium Lotus Elise architecture 25 years ago.

“Project LEVA is as revolutionary now as the Elise architecture was in 1996,” Rackham said in a statement. “In true Lotus spirit, significant weight savings have been achieved throughout, with a focus on ultimate performance, efficiency and safety being engineered into the structure from the outset – for example, by utilising the vehicle structure as the battery enclosure, having an integrated EDU, eliminating subframes and optimising the multi-link suspension components.”