Lotus has confirmed that it is working on a new hybrid V8 supercar with more than 986bhp, marking a major shift in the British performance brand’s future product plan.
The new car, codenamed Type 135 and also referred to as Vision X, is planned for delivery in 2028. It will use a V8 hybrid powertrain and will be built in Europe, with more details expected later this year.
The announcement is part of Lotus’ new Focus 2030 strategy, which moves the company away from a purely electric-only direction and gives hybrid technology a much bigger role.
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Lotus Is Rethinking Its EV-Only Future
Lotus is not abandoning electric cars. Models such as the Eletre, Emeya, and Evija remain part of the brand’s electric lineup.
But the company now appears to be taking a more flexible route. Under Focus 2030, Lotus is targeting a future product mix of around 60 percent hybrid and 40 percent battery-electric vehicles.
That matters because Lotus had previously been moving toward a fully electric future. The latest plan suggests the company believes performance-car buyers still want some combustion character alongside electrification.
For a brand built on lightweight sports cars, driver feel, and mechanical connection, that is not a small change.
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Key Details at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
| Upcoming model | Lotus Type 135 / Vision X |
| Powertrain | Hybrid V8 |
| Output | More than 986bhp / over 1,000PS |
| Planned delivery | 2028 |
| Production | Europe |
| Strategy | Focus 2030 |
| Future mix target | Around 60% hybrid, 40% BEV |
| Emira | Production will continue |
A New Hybrid V8 Supercar
The upcoming Type 135 will sit at the emotional centre of Lotus’ new plan.
Lotus says the car will use the next development of its proprietary X-Hybrid technology, this time with a V8 hybrid powertrain. That is important because Lotus’ performance identity has always depended on more than just numbers. The brand’s best-known cars were not simply fast; they were light, responsive, and driver-focused.
A hybrid V8 supercar gives Lotus a way to combine electrified performance with the combustion drama many enthusiasts still want.
It also gives the company a fresh halo model. Lotus already has the all-electric Evija, but the Type 135 could speak to a different kind of buyer: someone who wants electrification without losing the sound, response, and emotion of a combustion engine.
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Emira Will Stay Alive
Lotus has also confirmed that the Emira will continue in production as a combustion-engine sports car.
That is important because the Emira is currently the brand’s most traditional driver’s car. In a market increasingly dominated by EVs, SUVs, and heavy performance cars, the Emira still represents the simpler Lotus formula: mid-engine layout, petrol power, compact proportions, and driver engagement.
An updated Emira is also expected soon, described as the most powerful and lightest version yet.
This shows Lotus understands that brand trust in the performance segment is not built only on software, batteries, or acceleration figures. It is also built on feel, sound, balance, and mechanical character.
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Why Lotus Is Changing Direction
Lotus’ shift reflects a wider industry correction.
A few years ago, several automakers treated full electrification as the only way forward. That view has softened, especially in the luxury and performance segments, where buyers often want long-distance usability, emotional driving character, and high performance without fully giving up combustion engines.
Hybrid powertrains are becoming the middle ground. They allow brands to reduce emissions, add electric performance, and still retain some of the character buyers expect from expensive sports cars and supercars.
For Lotus, this is also about business survival.
The company sold around 6,500 cars globally last year, down 45 percent from the previous year. By 2028, Lotus wants to raise annual sales to around 30,000 vehicles. That is a huge jump, and it will need more than one kind of powertrain to get there.
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What This Means for Pakistan
For Pakistan, this is not a direct launch story. Lotus has no mainstream local presence, and a hybrid V8 supercar would remain an extremely rare import.
But the direction still matters for enthusiasts here.
Globally, performance brands are no longer treating the future as a simple petrol-versus-electric fight. Lotus’ move shows that the next phase of supercars may combine combustion engines, hybrid assistance, battery power, and brand identity.
That matters because the same thinking eventually filters down into more accessible performance cars. Hybrid systems are no longer just about fuel economy. In performance cars, they are becoming tools for faster acceleration, torque fill, emissions control, and sharper positioning.
For Pakistani car enthusiasts, the message is simple: the electric future is coming, but the combustion engine is not disappearing from performance cars as quickly as many expected.
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Bottom Line
Lotus’ new hybrid V8 supercar is more than another future model announcement. It is a sign that the company is recalibrating its strategy.
The Type 135 / Vision X gives Lotus a new performance flagship, while the continued production of the Emira keeps its traditional sports-car identity alive.
Lotus is still moving toward electrification, but this time it is not taking an EV-only road. It is choosing a mix of battery power, hybrid technology, and combustion emotion, a route that may make more sense for a brand built around driving feel.
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