The Proton Concept car is designed and developed by Lotus Engineering and will be unveiled on the Italdesign stand at the 80th Geneva Motor Show. The new concept showcases an advanced series hybrid drivetrain. The complete hybrid drivetrain in the concept city car includes the Lotus Range Extender engine, designed specifically for series hybrid vehicles.
The British engineers has designed and integrated the complete drivetrain, including the electrical drive system with single-speed transmission for shorter trips. For longer journeys, when the battery charge level falls, the 3 cylinder, 1.2 litre Lotus Range Extender engine is used to replenish the charge in the battery and provide electrical power for the drive motors. The battery can also be recharged via an AC mains domestic outlet to achieve initial electric-only operation.
