Lotus and Williams Advanced Engineering announced they have entered a strategic technical partnership on Monday. The new partnership fits perfectly with Lotus' previous announcement to bring an electric hypercar to market.
Autocar first reported Lotus would build a new battery-electric hypercar on Dec. 8. Now it appears that Williams will contribute its knowledge about electric powertrains to the hypercar's development. The firm pioneered the first Formula E powertrains, which served the race cars during the first four seasons of the motorsport.
Neither Lotus nor Williams confirmed plans for an electric hypercar in the announcement, but the statement runs parallel to Autocar's intel from December. Lotus said it houses a "proven expertise" for integration and application of new technologies, while Phil Popham, managing director of Williams advanced engineering said, “We will be further developing next generation powertrains in this partnership with Lotus.”
Williams Advanced Engineering electric car platform
Of course, Lotus will ensure the car meets its standard for lightweight cars.
The car supposedly goes by the codename "Omega" and will be part of a major push to reinvigorate Lotus under its new owner, Geely. The Chinese automaker purchased a controlling stake in Lotus' former parent, Proton, and earned itself ownership of the British marque. Geely has said it wants Lotus to emerge as a true luxury and performance brand and challenge the likes of Ferrari.
The Omega will likely sport all-wheel drive with at least two electric motors to provide power. It's expected the car will make at least 1,000 horsepower and offer 250 miles of range with a fast-charging system onboard.
We'll certainly learn more about the partnership in the months to come, such as what Williams will contribute to specific models. As for the hypercar, it's reportedly at least two years away and expected to cost about $2.6 million.