Two British titans of Formula One past and present are joining forces. Lotus and Williams Advanced Engineering have announced a ‘strategic technical partnership in which the companies will share research and development into advanced propulsion technologies’.
What’s obvious is this has nothing to do with Formula One. ‘Advanced propulsion technologies’ sounds like Williams-developed batteries in an electric Lotus – and potentially Volvos (via Lotus parent company Geely), too.
Both companies have a history of jumping into bed with other manufacturers to bring go-faster fruit to bear. Who fancies a Lotus Carlton versus Renault Clio Williams twin-test?
Also, both companies have industry-favourite engineering subsidiaries. Lotus Engineering has helped develop various technologies and many cars over the years.
Williams Advanced Engineering, meanwhile, is currently working on the Dendrobium electric hypercar. With these two performance and technology superpowers combined, the sky could be the limit.
Not coincidentally, we think, Lotus is rumoured to be working on an all-electric hypercar with more than 1,000hp. If true, you can bet Williams will be on the shop floor, further cornering the electric hypercar market.
“Our new technology partnership with Williams Advanced Engineering is part of a strategy to expand our knowledge and capability in the rapidly changing automotive landscape,” said Phil Popham, CEO of Lotus Cars.
“Applying advanced propulsion powertrains can provide numerous exciting solutions across multiple vehicle sectors. Our combined and complementary experiences make this a very compelling match of engineering talent, technical ability and pioneering British spirit.”
Likewise, Craig Wilson, MD of Williams Advanced Engineering, said, “We will be further developing next-generation powertrains in this partnership with Lotus.”
What do you want to see come out of this partnership? Could we see a Tesla Roadster-rivalling next-generation Elise or Esprit, or even a world-beating hypercar?