Lotus Cars wants to build the world’s most powerful all-electric hypercar. The Evija is set to generate 2,000 ps (metric horsepower) or the equivalent of 1,972 hp. At the heart of the Evija is an electric powertrain developed with technical partner Williams Advanced Engineering who have decades of experience Formula 1 and Formula E. The battery pack is mid-mounted behind the two seats and supplies energy directly to four powerful e-motors. This system is the lightest, most energy dense, electric power package ever fitted to a road car. With a target weight of just 3,703 pounds (1,680 kg), it will be the lightest pure electric hypercar ever to go into series production.

“The Lotus Evija is a car like no other,” said Phil Popham, Lotus Cars CEO speaking at the unveiling in London. “It will re-establish our brand in the hearts and minds of sports car fans and on the global automotive stage. It will also pave the way for further visionary models.

This is another amazing moment in the history of our company. The Evija is a true Lotus in every sense – it has been developed with an unwavering passion to push boundaries, to explore new ways of thinking and to apply ground-breaking technologies.

1,972 hp will launch this 3,700 pound four-wheel drive hypercar from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in under three seconds with a top speed in excess of 320 km/h (200 mph). It has a target driving range of 400 kms (250 miles). With 1,254 lb-ft of torque, the Evija could take on a tug-of-war contest with four Lotus Evora Sport 410’s, and still win. The Evija is set to go into production in 2020 with just 130 cars being built.

Evija (pronounced ‘E-vi-ya’) means ‘the first in existence’ or ‘the living one’. “Evija is the perfect name for our new car because it is the first all-new car to come from Lotus as part of the wider Geely family,” said Popham. “With Geely’s support we are set to create an incredible range of new cars which are true to the Lotus name and DNA.”

“Every element of the Evija has been meticulously analyzed and validated,” said Matt Windle, Executive Director, Sports Car Engineering at Lotus Cars. “Precision engineering is nothing without human engagement, and that’s why technology with soul is the benchmark for this and every Lotus.”

The Evija features a Venturi tunnel through each rear quarter and will be the first Lotus road car to feature a one-piece carbon fibre monocoque chassis. The cabin will feature fully adjustable race-style seats, a multi-function steering wheel and is a motorsport-inspired road car in both design and technology.

“We studied how Le Mans race cars use air flow creatively to go over, under and around the vehicle, but also through it,” said Russell Carr, Design Director at Lotus Cars. “This concept of ‘porosity’ is key to the Evija and has enabled us to create a timeless design with exceptional amounts of downforce. During the initial design stage we spent many hours studying images of geological forms – rocks that had been carved by nature over the centuries. We believe we’ve captured these beautiful, intriguing and elemental lines within the Evija.”

The Evija is the first Lotus to provide drivers with a full suite of digital connected infotainment, which will benefit from over-the-air software updates. An on-board modem enables communication to the cloud, and the driver can interact with that data through a Lotus smartphone app. The app will enable drivers to monitor their Evija from anywhere in the world, to check the battery charge status, driving range, etc.

“The Lotus Evija has astonishing acceleration at higher speeds,” said Matt Windle, Executive Director, Sports Car Engineering at Lotus Cars. “It takes less than nine seconds to reach 300 km/h which is better than any other direct competitor. With the Lotus Evija we have an extremely efficient electric powertrain package, capable of delivering power to the road in a manner never seen before. Our battery, e-motors and transmission each operate at up to 98% efficiency. This sets new standards for engineering excellence.”

Good news and bad news regarding ordering one of these hypercars. The order books are now open. That’s the good news. For most, the bad news is that a $400,000 CAD or £250,000 deposit is due now with the balance of the roughly $2.7 million CAD (£1.7 million) price tag, plus duties and taxes, payable at a future date. Start saving.