Lotus Mempersembahkan Kepada Anda Rupa Kereta F1 Masa Depan

Lotus melihat kepada masa lampau untuk berkonsepkan masa depan Formula 1 dengan E-R9 ini.

Nama Lotus sudah tidak ada dalam Formula 1 sejak 2015, tetapi syarikat itu sangat terlibat dalam disiplin tersebut. Mereka mempunyai rekod yang benar-benar hebat dalam F1, dengan 13 gelaran juara. Walaupun mereka mungkin tidak akan menggunakan nama pasukan mereka untuk sementara waktu, mereka sekarang melihat kepada bagaimana masa depan F1. Untuk itu, mereka telah mencipta E-R9.

E-R9 adalah kajian reka bentuk baharu yang dramatik untuk pelumba pure electric endurance generasi akan datang. Mereka membayangkan sesuatu seperti ini akan melanda grid F1 dalam masa kurang dari 10 tahun. Mereka telah memilih warna hitam dan emas ikonik sebagai anggukan kepada warisan sukan permotoran mereka.

Kenapa ‘E-R9’?

Setakat namanya, E-R9 jelas bukan yang paling seksi atau paling berkesan. Tetapi inilah sebabnya mereka memutuskan untuk mengunakannya.

E-R adalah singkatan Endurance Racer, sementara 9 adalah nombor pertandingan kereta yang dipilih dengan teliti sebagai penghormatan kepada perlumbaan Lotus. Ianya di dalam Lotus Mark IX lah, pasukan perlumbaan membuat penampilan sulung mereka di Le Mans 24 Hours, dengan pengasas syarikat Colin Chapman antara pelumba mereka. Tahun itu adalah tahun 1955, yang bermaksud konsep kereta lumba E-R9 – jika dilumba pada tahun 2030 – akan menjadi perayaan ulang tahun ke-75 Mark IX.

Sekiranya anda ingin mengetahui maklumat lebih lanjut mengenai E-R9, siaran media Lotus di bawah.

KENYATAAN MEDIA

Finished in striking black and gold – a clear nod to Lotus’ pioneering motorsport heritage that led to 13 Formula 1 championship titles – the EV features a sleek fighter jet-style canopy centrally mounted in a delta-wing upper body. Innovations include advanced active aerodynamics with ‘morphing’ body panels and vertically mounted control surfaces to assist with high-speed cornering.

The E-R9 has been developed by Lotus Engineering, the globally renowned consultancy division of the business which delivers projects for external clients. The car has been created as a technology showcase of its philosophy, capability and innovative spirit in the fields of advanced electrified powertrains and aerodynamics.

The E-R9 was developed by the engineering team of Richard Hill, chief aerodynamicist at Lotus, and Louis Kerr, principal platform engineer on the Lotus Evija pure electric hypercar as well as technical director, GT, Geely Group Motorsports International. Visually it was brought to life by the Lotus Design team, led by Russell Carr, Design Director for Lotus.

Chief among the car’s aero innovations are its ‘morphing’ body panels. Located across the delta-wing profile, this adaptability – where active surfaces can change their shape and attitude to the air flow either at the press of a button by the driver or automatically according to performance sensor inputs – would deliver minimum drag on the straights and maximum downforce in the corners. Vertical control surfaces at the rear would generate aerodynamic forces to help the car change direction, without the limitations of grip at the tyre contact patch. The result is a racer that’s partly driven like a car and partly flown like a fighter jet.

The Lotus E-R9 features an advanced electric drivetrain powering each wheel independently, a system enhanced with torque-vectoring. It builds on technology already integrated on the Lotus Evija pure electric hypercar, though for the E-R9 would be fully adjustable by the driver on the move.

Further details and more images of the Lotus E-R9 can be found in the March issue of evo magazine. On sale from today, it includes a 32-page supplement dedicated to the past, present and exciting future stories of the Lotus Engineering consultancy.

From the pioneering work of Colin Chapman in the early 1950s, via countless projects which the team has worked on in the decades since – some never revealed before – it’s a fascinating glimpse into a business which has done more than most to shape the automotive industry today.