Lotus and Centrica Agree Partnership to Redesign Electric Vehicle Ownership

- A new model of integrating connected vehicles, connected homes and connected customers is being developed

- New, flexible platform designed to power a future digital mobility lifestyle

- New global sustainability programme targets net zero carbon across Lotus operations

LONDON, May 11, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Centrica plc, the parent company of British Gas, and British motor manufacturer Lotus are working together to develop a new model for electric vehicle ownership that fully integrates future mobility and energy.

By making the car an extension of the home, capable of storing electricity, minimising emissions and generating new income by providing services to the energy market, the companies aim to redefine the customer relationship with cars – one controlled by smart devices at home and on the move.

The energy company will also facilitate a sustainability program that leverages innovative, low carbon technologies, and helps mitigate the environmental impact of everything from manufacturing through to sales and the day-to-day activities of Lotus employees, helping meet Lotus' carbon reduction aspirations.

The new partnership will help establish a new global charging and energy infrastructure for new products as part of Lotus' journey to net zero carbon following huge investment into the business since 2018.

Centrica Group CEO Chris O'Shea, said: "We are committed to helping our customers and communities achieve net-zero and to do so, we must enable the change to electric vehicles. We have the technology, the skills and the scale to do this and our partnership with Lotus is another step in bringing our commitment to life."

Lotus Cars CEO Phil Popham, said: "Our journey to net-zero carbon is absolutely lock-in-step with the Vision 80 strategy for Lotus – taking us to eighty years of the business in 2028. By then we will have transformed Lotus into a truly global player in the high-performance high-technology sector with a new range of cars that remain true to our fundamental promise of always being 'For The Drivers'. The difference is the energy and infrastructure that will power and support these products in the future – this new partnership demonstrates the progress being made and the ambition of our vision."

Carl Bayliss, Vice President of Centrica Innovations, said: "Owning an electric vehicle isn't the same as owning an internal combustion engine car. We see a future where the customer, car and home are connected, enabling new services beyond charging the car, and new products and experiences replacing the unremarkable standard relationship with energy and the ownership of a car today.

"Lotus is the perfect partner as we embark on this, given the recognition and appeal of the brand globally and the fact that it is right at the beginning of its electrification journey."

Uday Senapati, Executive Director – Corporate Strategy for Lotus added: "Centrica brings a wealth of energy sector expertise to the table that will not only help us to determine the right course for our mobility strategy, but the hands-on capability to ensure that the right infrastructure is in place globally. The future of mobility is a huge opportunity for providing value-added services to the consumer and this platform will put Lotus at the forefront of that digital mobility ecosystem.

"We have set ambitious targets for decarbonising both our vehicles and our operations. Given the rate of change required and the importance of getting it right first time, the support of our strategic partner Centrica is going to be vital."

Production of the all-electric Lotus Evija hypercar will start at the company's famous Hethel, Norfolk HQ later in 2020 – marking the start of Lotus' journey to electrifying its growing range of vehicles.

Notes to editors

The new strategic partnership sees the two companies embark on a multi-work-stream strategy together, covering:

1. A dedicated Lotus EV Energy strategy
2. Charging infrastructure serving Lotus' global network and customers
3. De-carbonisation strategy for Lotus operations globally
4. A breakthrough new energy product and platform integrating connected vehicles, homes and customers to support the growth in digital mobility lifestyle

About Centrica

Centrica is a leading international energy services and solutions provider, founded on a 200-year heritage of serving people. Through our two customer-facing divisions, Centrica Consumer and Centrica Business, we supply energy, services and solutions to over 26 million customer accounts. We serve customers across the UK, Ireland, North America and Continental Europe through strong brands such as British Gas, supported by around 13,000 highly trained engineers and technicians. We are focused on satisfying the changing needs of our customers, enabling them to transition to a lower carbon future. Our aim is to reduce emissions.

About Lotus

Group Lotus is based in Potash Lane, Hethel, Norfolk, UK, NR14 8EZ. It is part of Geely Automotive, the fastest growing automotive group in the world. Geely has a 51% controlling stake, with 49% owned by Etika Automotive, a Malaysian conglomerate.

Lotus Cars builds world-class, high-performance sports cars including the Evora, Elise and Exige ranges. In July 2019 it launched the Evija, the world's first all-electric British hypercar.

Lotus Engineering provides a comprehensive consultancy service which works with many of the world's OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers. It is internationally recognised for its long-standing contribution to ground-breaking automotive engineering and vehicle development.