World EV Day

Archive for the ‘Lotus’ Category

World EV Day

Posted by Allaster Gair

In celebration of the recently passed WorldEVDay on the 9th September, we look at the many contributions of members of the European Small Volume Car Manufacturers Alliance (ESCA) to sustainable automotive practices.

1 – Electric Fleet of Vehicles 🔋
Like many other of our members, Lotus Cars Europe are progressing towards a fully electric fleet of vehicles. A move first inspired by the Lotus Evija in 2019, and most recently cemented by the success of the Lotus Eletre and Emeya, for which the British company won the prestigious Red Dot Design Award.

2 – Hydrogen Technology for Future Vehicles ⛽
Harnessing hydrogen technology is another area members of ESCA are at the forefront of. Consider, for example, McLaren Automotive Ltd‘s partnership with Mission H24 – producing a prototype capable of the highest calibre performance at Le Mans.

3: Sustainable Manufacturing Facilities 🚔
Throughout our various members, sustainable manufacturing practices are well-established. For example, Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd achieved a 23.3% reduction in CO2 emissions per car manufactured in 2023 compared with 2022, whilst Goupil have fully-fitted the roof of their factory with solar panels.

Paralympic Games

Posted by Allaster Gair

With the Paralympic Games ending on Sunday, the European Small Volume Car Manufacturers Alliance (ESCA) pauses to reflect on contributions made by three members to the unforgettable 2024 Summer of Sport:

1 – Goupil‘s Electric Vans were in action for the Tour De France, where Goupil’s unique versatility was on full display. The ultra-compact size enabled urban cleaners to transport and collect household waste bins and carry out a variety of cleaning functions- paramount to keeping the event running smoothly.

2 – Team GB were powered by Lotus Cars Europe; assisting the team to gold medal in track cycling women’s team sprint with a World Record time of 45.186. In the words of Richard Hill, Chief Aerodynamicist at Lotus: “Lotus is proud to continue working with British Cycling… in offering unrivalled engineering expertise to produce the most efficient and beautiful bike to support our national team”.

3 – In response to previous medalists claiming Olympic Medals were “losing shine”, Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd badge makers have pledged to restore any Olympic medals to their full condition.

Members of the European Small Volume Car Manufacturers Alliance (ESCA) continue to be of significant importance to the success of European and global sporting events. With 619,757,000 Euros invested in R&D across the financial year of 2022/23, the Alliance honours the legacy of sporting greatness while paving the way for tomorrow’s sporting successes.

Lotus – Red Dot Design Awards

Posted by Allaster Gair

Member of the European Small Volume Car Manufacturers Alliance (ESCA), Lotus Cars Europe, was recently awarded two Red Dot Design Awards in Product Design for its hyper electric vehicles, the Eletre (a hyper-SUV) and the Emeya (a hyper-GT).

The Awards are a prestigious global competition recognising excellence in design, judged on criteria such as aesthetics, functionality, innovation, and smart design. The jury praised these vehicles for combining Lotus’ 76-year heritage in British sports car design with advanced technology, comfort, and dynamic performance, creating electric cars that are both fun to drive and practical for daily use.

Lotus’ achievements reflect the brand’s dedication to excellence and innovation, reinforcing the strong global identity of our members as leaders in the automotive industry.

Autocar Great Women 2024 Awards

Posted by Allaster Gair

Earlier this year, the winners of the Autocar Great Women 2024 Awards were announced. We were delighted to see representatives of McLaren Automotive Ltd, Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd, Lotus Cars Europe and INEOS Automotive nominated throughout the various categories.

We would like to congratulate all of these outstanding individuals on their achievement, and in particular, President of the European Small Volume Car Manufacturers Alliance (ESCA), Helen Foord, on her nomination.

Run by AutoCar in association with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), Great Women celebrates the achievements of the most influential women across the motoring sector.

Goodwood Festival of Speed

Posted by Allaster Gair

At the recent Goodwood Festival of Speed, the European Small Volume Car Manufacturers Alliance (ESCA) was represented by a series of high-profile automotive debuts and displays from our members.

Only a few weeks after being revealed by Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd, the Valiant, driven by Fernando Alonso, made its global debut on the historic Goodwood Hillclimb. Across the remainder of the Festival, the Valkyrie, Valour, Victor, Vantage and DBX707 were also out on display.

BUGATTI made the public debut of the recently announced Bugatti Tourbillon, powered by an all-new 8.3 litre naturally aspirated V16 engine. Those attending the Festival were also able to see the Bolide, Mistral and other iconic models from Bugatti over the weekend.

Hispano Suiza revealed the Carmen Sagrera hypercar for the first time outside Spain. The Carmen Sagrera completed its first kilometres on the famous Hillclimb driven by Luis Pérez-Sala, Hispano Suiza ambassador and former Formula 1 driver.

Elsewhere, Koenigsegg Automotive AB introduced the CC850, while the Lotus Cars Europe Evija set a new record time of 51.6 seconds for a two-seater production car on the Hillclimb.

McLaren Automotive Ltd paid tribute to Ayrton Senna by running his 1991 championship-winning MP4/6, driven by his nephew Bruno Senna, with Emerson Fittipaldi driving his championship-winning M23. Johnny Rutherford’s Indianapolis 500-winning M16C/D was on display for those at the Festival alongside the impressive Senna Supercar. Two-time Formula World Champion, Mika Häkkinen, also took to the wheel of the McLaren Solus GT.

This year saw Pagani Automobili attend with the largest selection of automobiles in their history of participation at Goodwood Festival of Speed. Throughout the Festival the Imola Roadster, Huayra Epitome, Utopia, Huayra R, Huayra Roadster, and Zonda Roadster were on view.

Finally, Praga displayed both their R1 race car and Bohema hypercar, while Rimac Automobili showcased the exclusive and newly revealed Nevera 15 Year Anniversary Edition in the Hillclimb.

Electric Revolution

Posted by Allaster Gair

According to the European Automobile Manufacturers’​ Association (ACEA), over 20% of new cars sold in the EU are now electrically chargeable.

Hispano Suiza, member of the European Small Volume Car Manufacturers Alliance (ESCA), recently unveiled their new all-electric hypercar – the Carmen Sagrera. This not only represents the perfect blend of the brand’s legacy with cutting-edge technology, but the broader commitment of our members to constantly evolving the automotive landscape of Europe.

Lotus Cars Europe are also on their way to developing a fully electric fleet of vehicles. Since 2023, Lotus have committed to all new mainstream production vehicles being electric and will become a certified net-zero business through their commitment to being a SBTI (Science-Based Target initiative) organisation. Both of these initiatives are fantastic examples of how our members are helping to drive Europe towards a more sustainable future for the automotive sector.

EU Green Week

Posted by Allaster Gair

The commitment of members of the European Small Volume Car Manufacturers Alliance (ESCA) to EUGreenWeek is reflected by the adoption of high-performance electric vehicles in their fleets.

Lotus Cars Europe are on their way to developing a fully electric fleet of vehicles. Since 2023, Lotus have committed to all new mainstream production vehicles being electric and will become a certified net-zero business through their commitment to being a SBTI (Science-Based Target initiative) organisation.

This move was first inspired by the Lotus Evija, launched in 2019 as the first British electric hypercar. The Evija was followed by the Eletre, launched in 2022, and their latest creation is the Emeya. A new electric gran tourer (GT) that is set to begin production this year.

Lotus is also supporting other businesses in their desire to move to an all-electric future. The company’s Lightweight Electric Vehicle Architecture (LEVA) is the innovative new technology underpinning the Type 135 for Lotus and is also commercially available through Lotus Engineering.

Autosport International Show in Birmingham

Posted by Allaster Gair

Last week at the Autosport International Show in Birmingham, England, members of the European Small Volume Manufacturers Alliance (ESCA) were present to represent the small volume manufacturing sector.

Having previously won the timed shootout at the 2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed, the McLaren Automotive Ltd Solus GT was on show. Featuring a central, single-seat, closed-cockpit design with jet aircraft-style sliding canopy, and a motorsport-derived powertrain as a structural element, the 5.2-litre V10 Solus weighs less than 1000kg and can produce more than 1200kg of downforce.

Elsewhere, the Lotus Cars Europe Cortina was on display to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Jim Clark winning the British Touring Car Championship in the famous vehicle produced in the United Kingdom from 1963 to 1970.

Briefing Papers

ESCA advocates on behalf of some of the most recognisable and iconic automotive brands in the world. We work with European and international decision makers to ensure the interests of high performance road and racing cars are represented alongside the mainstream automotive industry.