The Lotus Theory 1 is an ‘immersive’ electric concept car with three seats

Lotus has released a new concept car which aims to act as a showcase for the brand’s new design direction.

The Theory 1 incorporates a three-seater setup, with the driver occupying a central position in the vehicle with a passenger on each side behind. With a claimed 986bhp being produced from its twin electric motors, the Theory 1 could go from 0-60mph in under 2.5 seconds before heading to a top speed of 199mph.

Despite this performance, Lotus says that the Theory 1’s 70kWh battery could return up to 250 miles of range, mainly due to the car’s low weight of under 1,600kg.

Ben Payne, vice president of design, Lotus Group said: “With Theory 1, we’ve built on everything Lotus has achieved so far in its 76-year history, to push the boundaries for what it means to drive a performance vehicle.

“We want to demonstrate that you don’t need to compromise – with both digital and analogue capabilities working harmoniously in the future car. In doing this, we are able to bring drivers the best possible immersive driving experience with raw emotion, functionality and connectivity, at the core.”

Inside, the Theory 1 uses a new ‘Lotuswear’ robotic textile material which allows the car to ‘speak’ to its occupants. For instance, pulses on the left and right sides of the steering wheel indicate to the driver which side they should turn. Each headrest includes its own speaker system, too, and these even incorporate noise-cancelling technology.

A ‘technology band’ running inside and outside of the car uses OLED lighting to display various functions regarding the status of the vehicle and its occupants – it can even detect the presence of an object or person close to the car – while a 360-degree autonomous driving suite can scan for obstacles around the vehicle.

Currently, there are no plans for the Theory 1 to enter production, but it’s likely that future Lotus vehicles will bear a resemblance to it.