The electric supercar concept features some trick interior tech, and a predicted battery range of 400 km per charge
- Lotus mid-September revealed a new Theory 1 concept EV, with three seats and a 320-km/h top speed
- But the concept car’s neatest tech may be its trick interior, with a unique ‘MotorSkins’ upholstery
- A target weight of sub-3,500 lbs (-1,600 kg) lends itself to a predicted 400-km battery range per charge
The Theory 1’s large doors lift upward and then slide backward, revealing a minimalist cabin space. The driver sits in a central position, flanked by two passengers, one on either side — a unique seating arrangement reminiscent of the McLaren F1 supercar of the 1990s. The interior is equipped with a head-up display, and screens in place of side mirrors, adding to the car’s futuristic appeal.
These “on-demand” buttons are a big part of what makes the Theory 1 such a unique concept car. The technology behind it was developed by a Berlin-based company called MotorSkins. Formed via what’s described as a “reactive textile” that occupies surfaces along the cabin, it can present the buttons when needed; and have them disappear when not.
“For example, you are driving, and there is a car coming up behind you. [The seat fabric] can give you a gentle tap on the shoulder,” explained MotorSkins managing director Facundo Gutierrez in an interview with Wired. “Or you get a phone call, and the button appears for you to take the call.”
Lotus says the all-carbon Theory 1 has a target weight of sub-3,500 lbs (-1,600 kg), or around 660 lbs (300 kg) less than the Evija, an impressive feat, especially in this current era of overweight EVs. The Lotus Theory 1 concept may never see the light of day, or at least not in the form presented above. However, it is an exciting glimpse of the future Lotus envisions for its lineup as it embraces 100% electrification.
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