The Lotus E-R9 is an electric race car with a ‘morphing’ body, runs on a quick-change battery pack

Lotus has unveiled new renders of the E-R9 concept race car. The British supercar maker describes it as a “next-generation pure electric endurance racer”. It is essentially Lotus’ vision of what performance EVs could look like in 2030.

In case you were wondering, the EV’s E-R branding stands for Endurance Racer, while the number ‘9’ is a nod to Lotus’ racing past. This number is significant as it pays homage to the Lotus Mark IX, the company’s first racing car at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1955 with company founder Colin Chapman among the drivers competing.

The brainchild of Lotus’ chief aerodynamicist Richard Hill and his team, the E-R9 features an aerodynamically designed body with a fighter jet style canopy centrally mounted on its delta-wing upper body.

The renders show the E-R9 decked in a stunning black and gold finish, a nod to Lotus’ traditional colours from its Formula 1 race days. 

Interestingly, the EV’s body panels are designed to morph into different shapes that adjust for the airflow around the car. In concept, this would allow the E-R9 to drive faster on straights while delivering optimum downforce to help it navigate corners. 

Under the hood, the E-R9 is said to be powered by an advanced all-electric drivetrain that has an independent motor powering each wheel for adequate torque control. It is also said to use a quick-change battery pack that is designed to be replaceable during a standard pit stop.

Lotus’ latest race car concept is said to be built on technology that is already integrated on the Lotus Evija pure-electric hypercar. The Evija is actually set to be launch in mid-2021 after multiple delays. 

The Evija is set to be powered by four electric motors that draw power from a 70kWh lithium-ion battery. Lotus claims the car outputs 1470kW (1999HP) and 1700NM of torque, making it one of the most powerful production cars ever built. 

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