UK-based Lotus Cars has confirmed that the 2027 facelift of the Emira sports car is going to add a plug-in hybrid powertrain to comply with Euro 7 emission norms. The updated Lotus Emira will use the carmaker’s ‘Hyper Hybrid’ technology, which is slated to debut on an SUV later this year, likely the Eletre.
- 2-litre twin-turbo, 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine options currently on offer
- In addition to the hybrid, a bigger V8 engine from AMG could be considered
Current Lotus Emira engine options
Mercedes and Toyota-sourced powertrains
Toyota-sourced V6 engine used in the Lotus Emira.
Emira Turbo variants are powered by an AMG-sourced 2-litre, 4-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, available in two states of tune: 365hp, 430Nm and 406hp, 480Nm. The Emira V6 trims feature a Toyota-sourced 3.5-litre V6 supercharged motor, producing 406hp, 420Nm. At present, Lotus India offers both powertrains with the sports car in India.
Emira V8 could be launched
As of now, the Mercedes engine appears to be facing the 2027 EU7 axe, with the hybrid version set to take over. Lotus had earlier intended to phase out the Toyota engine, which can’t be upgraded to meet the upcoming norms. However, the 6-cylinder engine has been enduringly popular in the US – the world’s largest sports car market – prompting Lotus to look into fitting a bigger engine. Then, a Mercedes-AMG 4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, also used in the Aston Martin Vantage, could be on the cards. If that holds, the new Emira will be the first car from the carmaker in over 20 years to have a V8 powertrain, since it dropped the Esprit V8 from its line-up in 2004.
Lotus cancelled its plan to go all-electric in 2028
Future Lotus hybrid cars will have up to 1,094km range
Group Lotus CEO Feng Qingfeng earlier stated that their original goal of going all-electric in 2028 has been dropped in favour of hybrids. Future Lotus cars will feature ultra-fast plug-in charging capability, along with a turbocharged combustion engine for an overall extended range of about 1,094km, he stated. The inclusion of PHEV tech is part of a closer cooperation between the China-headquartered Lotus Technology and Lotus Cars, reported Autocar UK.
This comes amid slower-than-anticipated sales growth for EVs. In its latest earnings call report, Lotus revealed a net loss of $313 million (over Rs 2,760 crore) for the first half of 2025. Last month, Lotus announced its plan to cut 550 jobs in the UK, citing rapid changes in global policies, including tariffs, for the same. Uncertainty in the global automotive landscape was also highlighted.
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Viraaj Bhatnagar
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