Lotus Eletre and Emeya have been awarded the main prize in the Product Design category at the 2024 Red Dot Design Awards in Germany, the world's most prestigious design awards.
The Red Dot Design Award is one of the world's top three design awards, along with the German iF Design Award and the American IDEA Design Award. Each year, design experts conduct a rigorous judging process to select the winners in the categories of Product Design, Brand & Communication Design, and Design Concept.
Elétra and Emeya were praised by a jury of 39 design experts for reflecting Lotus' rich 76-year heritage in British sports car design and engineering. Both models represent a new breed of pure electric vehicles that combine Lotus' dynamic performance with world-class refinement, technology and comfort.
The Elektra's hypercar design concept and strong aerodynamic performance, combined with its styling that blends elements of a sports car and SUV, and its driving experience that integrates digital technology, are said to appeal to a new generation of customers in need of a family car.
Emeya is a GT model that reinterprets Lotus' distinctive midship engine design aesthetic as an electric saloon. The exterior features aerodynamic elements such as an innovative active front grille, rear diffuser and rear spoiler, as well as a low centre of gravity design called 'Hyperstance' to enhance driving stability. This is combined with an electronically controlled air suspension system to provide occupants with a smooth ride.
In addition, Lotus' latest electric bicycle, the Type 136 E-Road Bike, was also honoured with the Red Dot Award 2024. The Type 136 builds on the design and engineering excellence of Lotus' more than 30 years of successful cycle racing experience on road and track. The handlebars are V-shaped and the fork is wing-shaped to reduce aerodynamic drag. Despite the addition of a motor and battery, the carbon fibre frame and high-tech components keep the total weight to just 9.8kg.
This is not the first time Lotus has won a design award. Last year, Hyper OS, the infotainment system shared by the Elektra and Emeya, won the iF Design Award 2023. Hyper OS is an infotainment system that embodies Lotus' philosophy of putting the car in the driver's hands and optimising the user experience to reflect digitalisation.
"Elétra and Emeya embody Lotus' core design values of pure 'emotion', 'performance' and 'sophistication', whilst also creating a new kind of electric vehicle," said Ben Payne, Vice President, Group Design, Lotus Group. "Winning the Red Dot Award is a great honour for the creative spirit of the Lotus design team, as well as global recognition for the best in product design."
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