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Lotus City Car Coming In 2013

Aston Martin's Cygnet city car will soon have a competitor, with news this week that Lotus will soon add a tiny new hybrid model to its line-up.

Revealed as part of the brand's new-model and concept onslaught at the Paris Auto Show in


Aston Martin's Cygnet city car will soon have a competitor, with news this week that Lotus will soon add a tiny new hybrid model to its line-up.

Revealed as part of the brand's new-model and concept onslaught at the Paris Auto Show in October, the entry-level Lotus City Car Concept is destined for a production future.

Speaking with British magazine Car this week, Lotus CEO Dany Bahar made no bones about the company's plans for its tiny concept.

"Our city car has been confirmed and will be launched in October 2013. We are doing this together with Proton and another manufacturer," Mr Bahar told Car.

"We will build three versions - one for the Asian market, one for Europe and a sportier one."

Drawing power from a hybrid system that combines a 53kW electric motor with a range-extending 1.2 litre three-cylinder petrol motor - the same used in the Lotus Evora 414E Hybrid concept - the Lotus City Car concept will hit 100km/h in a neat nine seconds. Top speed will be a claimed 170km/h.

In electric-only mode, the Lotus City Car Concept can travel around 65 kilometres, but with the petrol motor in play, driving range is extended to around 480 kilometres.

Lotus City Car Concept Specifications

  • Layout: 3-door, 4-seater, rear-wheel drive
  • Drivetrain: Series hybrid drivetrain
  • Transmission: Single-speed transmission
  • Range extender engine: 35 kW, 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder engine
  • Engine fuel: Flex-fuel (methanol, ethanol and petrol)
  • Battery Capacity: 14.8 kWh
  • Power/Torque: 162 kW peak (54 kW continuous)/240 Nm,
  • Acceleration: 0-50 km/h 4.5 seconds, 0-100 km/h 9.0 seconds
  • Top speed: 170km/h
  • Range: 500 km
  • EV range: 60km
  • CO2 emissions: 60g/km on the ECE-R101 cycle
  • Weight: Less than 1400 kg
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