Lotus working on SUVs

British sports and racing car maker Lotus has officially begun work on its first sports utility vehicle (SUV), promising to deliver by 2022.

It may be a full electric or hybrid vehicle.

Before debuting its first family hauler, Lotus says it has two sports cars to get into the market by 2020, which will be the company’s first all-new car since the Evora nearly a decade ago.

Lotus chief executive Jean-Marc Gales tells Automotive News Europe the SUV will arrive after one of the new sports cars replaces one of the current Lotus line-up.

Gales told Autocar

in 2015 the SUV, to be built in China, would debut by 2019, continuing the E-themed naming convention. He also said first sales would likely go to Chinese buyers, some five years before European models become available.

The Lotus SUV was likely to be engineered in the United Kingdom and be produced by Zhejiang Geely in China, with proportions suggested to rival the Porsche Macan.

However, it’s expected Lotus’ lightness-themed design principles will dominate its end result.

Lotus’ alliance could likely see a Toyota powerplant, with potential for hybrid or full electric configuration that would appeal to the Chinese market. Although, an all-electric Volvo drivetrain would also be a safe bet, given the sharing potential with parent company Geely.

Chinese automotive website PCauto.com.cn discovered patent drawings of a Lotus SUV last year.