Lotus creates electric and hybrid research group

Norwich, England's Group Lotus announced that it set up a new research and development group solely for electric and hybrid vehicles in its Lotus Engineering division.

The engineering division is Lotus' automotive consultancy unit. Lotus is controlled by Malaysian automaker Proton Holdings.

Lotus said it created the new division because of the increasing amount of project work it was getting for cleantech vehicles.

"We have an intensely proactive growth plan over the next five years and we are already seeing substantial increases in third party client work for our global client base, of which considerable research and development into hybrid and electric vehicles is a major part," said Mike Kimberley, CEO of Group Lotus.

"Indeed over the next five years, Lotus will further reinforce its position as a world leader in green transport engineering."

Lotus, which builds high-performance sports cars, already has some dealings in the electric and hybrid world.

Last year, the company started working with Santa Rosa, Calif.-based ZAP (OTC: ZAAP) on the ZAP-X electric car (see Look out Tesla... ZAP building electric supercar).

That car is expected to have a range of up to 350 miles between charges and a top speed of 150 miles an hour.

Phil Barker, chief engineer of the new Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Technologies division, said the company has already made significant developments over the last 20 years in hybrid and electric vehicle technologies.

He cited the hybrid demonstrator Lotus EVE, for Efficient, Viable, and Environmental, as well as the Low CO2 project that Lotus is working on with Continental AG's Powertrain division.