Lotus demonstrates Eco Elise

All eyes may be on the Lotus stand for the unveiling of 'Project Eagle', but visitors to the British Motor Show should check also out the new Eco Elise, making its world debut in London.

Unlike most 'green' concepts, the design of the Eco Elise did not focus solely on the emissions of CO₂ from the car itself, but on the whole lifecycle of the vehicle, from manufacture to disposal.

To that end, a significant proportion of the car is produced from sustainable and recyclable materials, while the manufacturing process has been put under scrutiny to reduce waste and increase efficiency.

Natural materials such as hemp, wool and sisal have been used in the body panels and extensively inside this Elise, and most have been sourced locally to reduce the production of CO₂ in transportation.

Of course, Lotus's engineers couldn't resist the chance to take more weight out of the car, so the Eco Elise weighs 32kg less than the already feather weight Elise S. That's thanks to a lighter Alpine stereo system and ultra lightweight alloy wheels.

Flexible solar panels built into the hard top supplement the power usually drawn from the car's battery, while the instrument pack also features a green gearchange light to recommend the best engine speed to change up at in terms of saving fuel.

Although the shape and layout of the Eco Elise's interior is identical to the production car's, the new materials are immediately obvious, with a biodegradable woollen fabric covering the seats and sisal carpets.

At this stage there are no plans to put the Eco Elise into production, though its creation is part of a company-wide scheme to reduce energy usage, which has already seen massive gains at the Hethel factory.

Visitors to the London Motor Show will find the Eco Elise in the Greener Driving Pavilion.

Shane O' Donoghue