If you were paying attention to the Goodwood Festival of Speed livestream on Thursday last week, you would have seen the one-off Lotus Evija X meeting the haybales right at the start line!
Initial comments and thoughts pointed to something going wrong with the software but that was not the case as the folks from the Goodwood Road & Racing website spoke to Lotus themselves to find out what went wrong.
The Evija X completed its initial run at Goodwood on Thursday morning as part of the Supercar Run without a hitch. After a successful burnout, it climbed the hill with minimal drama. Everything seemed set for a repeat performance in the afternoon.
But then came the unfortunate incident during the second run, now infamous on social media. What exactly happened?
Lotus confirmed that the driver was only introduced to the 2,000 hp track weapon one week prior at their Hethel test base. Based at a race track, however, the requirements of both car and driver were fundamentally different to what would be asked of them on the Goodwood Hill.
At the starting line, the act of disabling traction control “was already an alien concept” for both the car and the driver. This meant zero electronic intervention in case of tyre slip, leaving the driver solely responsible for controlling the immense power.
While manageable as evidenced by the first run, predictability was significantly reduced. Consistent conditions were crucial before unleashing the full force of the Lotus Evija X.
However, the build-up for the second run was disrupted by a stalled Solus GT. The Evija X had to manoeuvre around the stationary car, resulting in a slightly angled starting position.
Unfazed, the driver committed fully upon receiving the go-ahead. Data reveals an immediate jump to 100% torque demand from all four electric motors. This translates to a staggering 1,704 Nm (1,257 lb-ft) of instant torque, unrestricted by a rev limiter. Within meters, the rear wheels spun to 170 mph (274 km/h), while the fronts reached 150 mph (241 km/h). The resulting burnout was spectacular, but as we know, rather short-lived.
The driver simply lost control. The Evija X’s power delivery was simply too extreme. The driver’s attempt to regain traction by lifting the throttle destabilized the car, launching it towards the bales. The entire incident, from start to impact, unfolded in a mere 1.5 seconds.
Fortunately, no one was injured. The driver walked away unharmed, thanks to the car’s robust cockpit. Aside from a single body panel, the Evija X sustained minimal damage and could have continued if not for post-incident protocol which requires the car to be properly checked over.