Lotus drip-feeds two more Type 132 SUV teasers, shows lidar – Roadshow [CNET]

November 17, 2021 Thomas Giboney

Lotus is being very, very sneaky about its first SUV. Rightfully so, since this will be ginormous shift for the British brand that spent the last 70 years building lightweight sports cars. This won’t just be an SUV, but an electric one. Nevertheless, we have two new teasers for what Lotus calls the Type 132.

The first bears the title See, above, and showcases a lidar front sensor for the SUV. Could it be a lidar system for some sort of advanced driver-assist function? Your guess is as good as ours right now. Aside from the brief look at the camera, we don’t see much else at all.

As for the second teaser, it’s called Stretch, below, and this one shows active aero systems at the vehicle’s rear. Lotus said the active aero recalls its triumphs in Formula 1 and links this SUV to the ballistic Evija supercar, too.

The two teasers follow last week’s effort, Breathe, which also showed off the 132’s active aerodynamic features.

The Type 132, which should debut with a real name, is set to launch next year and kick off a big rebirth of the Lotus brand. The marque is flush with investment from its new Chinese owner, Geely, looking to reinvent the Lotus name as a modern Porsche competitor of sorts. Underpinning the electric SUV will be a brand-new platform with 800-volt fast-charging support and room for up to 120 kilowatt-hour batteries.

Following the Type 132 SUV, we’re in for a new four-door coupe from the brand in 2023, and then a smaller SUV in 2025. Capping things off will be a new electric sports car in 2026.