What’s better than one automaker announcing that a new electric sports car is in the works? How about two of them announcing a collaboration on one — which is precisely what Lotus and Renault have done. A new article from Bryan Hood at Robb Report offers details on the new high-profile venture, which the two companies announced late last week.
The project will find Lotus working with Renault’s Alpine marque. Hood writes that this joint venture “is expected to replace the Alpine A110.” It also could well be the first of several collaborations between the companies.
Technically, the announcement of the joint venture is modest in scope. Lotus’s press release states that the companies are set to “conduct a comprehensive feasibility study for the joint engineering, design and development of an EV sportscar.” It’s not the only study the 2 companies will be undertaking, however. The press release also states that they will “explore the development of a joint services offer combining their engineering expertise.”
Lotus Cars CEO Phil Popham spoke of this as “the first step in what is set to be a hugely rewarding collaboration between our iconic brands. He also hinted at wider applications for this venture. “The joint-services element of our agreement will additionally make our engineering expertise available to those wishing to engage our innovations,” he said.
The announcement also notes that “[a] collaboration to leverage Alpine’s motorsport platform covering Formula One to Endurance is also under study.” Depending on how this goes, the implications of this initial joint venture might be very significant.
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