Lotus marks electric strategy reversal with 1000 bhp V8 hybrid Type 135

Lotus shifts its focus to hybrids

Lotus introduced a new Focus 2030 strategy, one that softens its earlier commitment to pure electric cars and gives hybrids a much larger role. According to Reuters, the company dropped its previous target of moving to an entirely electric line up by 2028. It now aims for a sales mix of 60 percent hybrids and 40 percent electric cars.

The Type 135 stands as the clearest symbol of that rethink. The earlier Theory 1 concept used a fully electric powertrain, but the teaser for the new hypercar shows two large exhaust pipes. Lotus says the production car will use a V8 based hybrid system and deliver more than 1000 bhp.

Early details remain scarce

For now, Lotus shows only a low, wide silhouette, rounded surfacing, swollen wheel arches, slim lights and a carbon fibre diffuser. The company will release more technical details during the year, while the official unveiling remains scheduled for 2028. Series production should begin in Europe.

For Lotus, the Type 135 is not just another niche model. It signals how the British brand, now controlled by Geely, wants to balance electrification, its historic sports car identity and the market’s actual appetite. A fully electric future remains on the table, but Lotus clearly does not want to abandon the emotion tied to combustion engines in a segment where sound, mechanics and rarity still carry real weight.

Across the premium and sports car market, several manufacturers now favour a more flexible hybrid strategy over earlier promises of total electrification. For Lotus, the Type 135 must prove that the brand can fuse classic sports car character with new electrified technology. That sounds simple enough, until you remember how much of Lotus has always lived between the steering wheel and the spine.