Lotus debuts one-off £2million hypercar at Goodwood Festival of Speed – but immediately crashes it
In a dramatic and unfortunate turn of events, Lotus’s £2 million Evija X electric hypercar made its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on Thursday, only to crash within seconds.
The highly anticipated Evija X, boasting 2,000 horsepower, veered into the straw bales shortly after launching, causing significant damage to the front end of the one-of-a-kind vehicle.
Spectators were expecting an extraordinary showcase of the British brand’s, now Chinese-owned, capabilities, but the debut took an unexpected turn as the car lost control almost immediately after starting. The Evija X, piloted by racing hero Dirk Müller, had previously made headlines for setting the fastest lap time for a production car chassis vehicle around the Nürburgring.
The crash, which occurred mere yards from the starting line, left the front of the hypercar in ruins, although the driver walked away unscathed. Initial speculation suggests a software issue may have been the cause, with some pointing to a possible fault with the car’s four motors. Lotus has yet to confirm the exact cause of the crash.
Despite the setback, the Evija X had demonstrated impressive capabilities prior to this event, including a blistering lap time of 6 minutes and 24 seconds at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. This performance placed it third overall, only behind the Porsche 919 Hybrid Evo and Volkswagen ID.R racing cars.
The Evija X’s remarkable specifications include a 0 to 62 mph time of under three seconds, a top speed of 218 mph (electronically limited), and 1,704 Newton meters of torque. These features position it as a potential contender for the fastest hill climb time at Goodwood, currently held by the McMurtry Spéirling with a time of 39.08 seconds.
The McMurtry Spéirling, a British-built electric car, set the record in 2022 with former Formula One driver Max Chilton at the wheel. The single-seater, likened to a mini Batmobile, measures 1.5 meters wide and 3.3 meters long, and utilizes two fans to achieve its remarkable performance.
Lotus faces the challenge of repairing the Evija X in time for another attempt over the weekend. If successful, the hypercar could still demonstrate its full potential and compete for the title of the fastest car to complete the famous hill climb.
