Lotus Evija: history, nicknames and how to spot one

At a glance

2,011 hpPower

2.8 s0–100 km/h

349 km/hTop speed

1,704 N·mTorque

1,894 kgWeight

The coral arc spans the family, from its mildest version to its wildest.^1,10

Engine: Production Evija: 4 electric motors and a 93 kWh battery¹⁰
Layout: All-wheel drive; battery behind the seats^5,10
Gearbox: Single-speed planetary drives (2019 launch specification)⁶
Built at: Hand-built in the Evija assembly hall, Hethel, Norfolk, UK⁴
Units built: Production limit: 130, including 8 Fittipaldi editions⁷

The story

Geely wanted a halo car to signal Lotus's electric future. Revealed in July 2019, the Evija was Lotus's first EV. The name means 'the first in existence' and is pronounced 'E-vi-ya'.^2,3,4,5

GenerationsMilestones²

Show the numbers

Year	What happened
2023–present	Lotus Evija (Type 130)
2019	July debut: Lotus's first electric car
2019	CCS charging with an 800 kW ambition
2020	Hethel's new hall, then a delay
2020	Track mode unlocks the 1,972 hp target
2022	Battery grows from 70 to 93 kWh
2022	8 Fittipaldis honor the Lotus 72
2023	Customer handovers begin
2024	6:24.047 at the Nürburgring
2025	9.5 seconds over the quarter-mile

2019
July debut: Lotus's first electric car
The launch plan pairs a 70 kWh battery with a roughly 1,678 kg weight target, testing Lotus's devotion to lightness.^2,6
2019
CCS charging with an 800 kW ambition
The launch claim: 80% in 12 minutes at 350 kW via CCS2, or a full charge in 9 minutes at a proposed 800 kW.⁶
2020
Hethel's new hall, then a delay
Hethel readies a hall to hand-build up to 130 cars; summer deliveries slip to mid-2021 as the pandemic disrupts testing.^4,5
2020
Track mode unlocks the 1,972 hp target
Range, City, Tour, Sport and Track split power delivery; Range caps output at 986 hp and 800 Nm and can switch to rear-wheel drive.⁵
2022
Battery grows from 70 to 93 kWh
A 93 kWh pack replaces the original 70 kWh setup; later road-car figures give a 314 km WLTP range.^2,3
2022
8 Fittipaldis honor the Lotus 72
8 black-and-gold cars honor Emerson Fittipaldi's and Lotus's 1972 F1 titles. Their rotary dial uses Type 72 aluminum; all are sold by the reveal.^7,8
2023
Customer handovers begin
The first customer handover takes place in August, 3 years after the original summer 2020 delivery plan.^2,4
2024
6:24.047 at the Nürburgring
Lotus reveals the Evija X prototype's 6:24.047 lap. It uses slicks, extra aero, carbon brakes and unique dampers, outside the production-car record class.⁹
2025
9.5 seconds over the quarter-mile
Tests yield a 9.5-second quarter-mile and 0-322 km/h in 13.0 seconds; the McLaren F1 took 11.3 and 28.0 seconds, respectively.³

Versions

4 versions worth knowing, with their power.

Standard

Evija

2023–

2,011 hp
Standard

Lotus NYO Evija

2022–2024
Limited

Evija Fittipaldi
Special

Jenson Button's bespoke Evija

2023

2,011 hp

How to spot one

Look for

Open Venturi tunnels pass through both rear quarters.¹
Red LED taillights encircle the tunnels like jet afterburners.^3,12
The T in the Lotus lettering serves as the reversing light.⁶
Retractable cameras take the place of conventional side mirrors.^6,12
Wing-shaped running-light stripes accompany laser headlights for both main and high beams.⁶

Against its rivals

Evija vs McLaren F1

Standing quarter-mile lower is better

Evija9.5 s

McLaren F111.3 s
³
Evija vs Bugatti Chiron

0–300 km/h (approx.) lower is better

Evija10 s

Bugatti Chiron13.6 s
¹⁰
Evija vs Pininfarina Battista

Target power

Evija1,972 hp

Pininfarina Battista1,873 hp
⁵

Prices

Value today $1.3M–$1.6M²²

Price when newValue today

^3,19,21

Show the numbers

Year	Price	Amount	Detail
2025	Price when new	$2,700,000	US base, C/D estimate
2025	Price when new	$3,120,000	UK price, approx. USD at £1=$1.30
2026	Price when new	$2,400,000	US MSRP, estimate
2026	Value today	$1,330,000–$1,620,000

The rest of the story is in the app

The full file tells why each version matters, the legend behind the car and what to check before buying one.

Versions
- Why each of the 4 versions matters
Legend
- 13 stories from its legend
- “6:24.047, with a prototype asterisk”
- “A real Type 72 inside the Fittipaldi edition”
Generations
- The story of each of the 1 generation
Market
- 3 things to check before buying one
- Where prices are heading, and why