The engineering superheroes at Lotus have churned out yet another iteration of the street-legal go-cart we call Elise. Aptly named “Eco Elise,” the concept based on the Elise S will hit 60 mph in less than 5.8 seconds yet treads lightly thanks to its use of sustainable materials and across-the-board cuts in the energy needed to build it.
The Elise S is already mighty efficient considering the grins it can produce -- 34 mpg (combined), 196 g/km CO2 emissions and a dry weight of 1,896 pounds. New to the party are renewable materials like hemp, eco-wool and sisal in some body panels and interior trim. Water-based paints reduce pollution during the painting process. Lotus rolls out the concept vehicle next week at the 2008 British Motor Show.
Considering current gas prices, Lotus founder Colin Chapman may have been looking into a crystal ball when he founded a sports car company shouting “performance through light weight” from the rooftops. Ditching unneeded heft is a sure way to up the performance ante and reduce complexity, but it also improves fuel economy.
The boys in Hethel have remained faithful to their captain with the Eco Elise.
The car is 70.5 pounds lighter than the bantamweight Elise S. Even the Alpine stereo system is 3.3 pounds lighter. The composite body panels and spoiler are made from hemp, beloved by Phishheads and rope manufacturers alike for its strength. The seats are also made from hemp. Solar panels have been set into the hard top as an additional source power for the electrical systems. It's a cool touch.
Lotus and DuPont teamed up to develop a water-based paint system for primer, color and lacquer. Lotus says it's the first time it's been possible to hand-spray a water-based “A class" production paint finish. It takes less energy thanks to the paint's low-cure temperature and cuts solvent emissions to boot. Lotus says this technology is expected in production cars sometime soon.
"This Eco Elise is a great example of the advanced and affordable green technologies Lotus is developing," says Mike Kimberley, CEO of Group Lotus. "We are at the cutting-edge of environmental technology and are determined to push forward with our green agenda. The Lotus brand values of lightweight, fuel efficient, and high performance are more relevant today than they ever have been. We are keen to ensure that Lotus as a company and its products offer an ethical, green option that appeals to our customers".
Photos by Lotus.
