PG Elektrus is a $312k Pure Electric Lotus Elise with a Carbon-Fiber Body

Production of the Tesla Roadster may have ended but the pure-electric roadster model from Silicon Valley showed the way to other companies – and we mean that in the literal sense, as the PG Elektrus is an all too similar proposal.

Created by German manufacturer PG and Düsseldorf-based automobile designer Michael Fröhlich, the roadster model is once again based on the Lotus Elise and features an electric motor powered by a lithium-ion battery.

However, the Germans went one-step further and dressed the body in a carbon fiber suite to reduce the car's weight. Another highlight is the solar panel mounted behind the driver that collects the sun's energy and converts it into electricity to power up the batteries – or so the company claims.

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IAA 2011: New Lotus Elise S with 220HP and Elise SPS

The most popular car in Lotus' lineup is up for its annual model year upgrade with the presentation of the Elise S that features a new supercharged four-banger and the Elise SPS that utilizes a new lightweight, robotized automated manual transmission. Read more »

New Lotus Teaser Begs the Question: What the F…?

Despite what the title of this article may suggest, it's not what you're thinking. You see, Lotus just dropped a note into our email box titled "The Lotus Fight: What the F...rankfurt?" along with a video that is supposed to be a teaser for the British firm's world premieres at next week's automotive gathering in Frankfurt, Germany.

However, all we get is a boxer and a couple of fuzzy images of an undefined car. Lotus has stated that it will show three new models in Frankfurt, but has only named the Elise S as one of them.

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Lotus to Unveil 3 New Models in Frankfurt in Addition to the Production Evora GTE Special

Lotus is gearing up for the largest and most important automotive event of the year that takes place in Frankfurt next month with the presentation of three brand-new models, one special edition version and two new options for its current lineup.

The British company announced that one of the new models is the Elise S that replaces the Elise SC with a more capable 1.8-liter supercharged engine delivering 220-horsepower, while also returning lower fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

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Lotus North America Bids Farewell to Elise and Exige with Limited Edition Models

It is known for some time now that Lotus is going to axe the Elise roadster and Exige coupe from its North American lineup by the end of August due to Toyota's decision to stop production of the 2ZZ 1.8-liter, 4-cylinder engine that powers the two models.

Fans of the Elise and Exige in other markets around the world including Europe need not to worry as the two cars will continue to be available as they are fitted with a new 1.6-liter four-cylinder unit.

To mark the end of production for North America, the British firm has announced the release of three Final Edition [FE] models. Lotus said will build and import into the US and Canada 15 examples of the Elise SC FE, 25 of the Exige Matte Black FE and 30 units of the Exige S260 FE.

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NHTSA Investigates Lotus Elise Oil-Cooler Ruptures

The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) is investigating oil-cooler leaks on 4,400 Lotus Elise sports cars from the 2005-2006 model years. The safety agency instigated the search after 33 owners complained that their cars’ oil-cooler ruptured, spraying oil on the wheels and /or the engine bay. Read more »

Lotus to Kill Elise and Exige for North America in August

If you’re a fan of the lightweight sports cars from Lotus, namely the Elise and its closed-top sibling, the Exige, and live in North America, then you’d better hurry up before the well dries up. That’s because production of the North American spec model will end in August according to a report from Autoblog.

The reasons behind this decision lie in the lack of “smart” airbags, which are now mandatory in the US, along with Toyota’s decision to stop production of its 2ZZ 1.8-liter, 4-cylinder engine that powers US-spec models. The Elise and the Exige will continue to be sold in Europe, as they’re equipped with a new 1.6-liter four-cylinder unit.

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