22 October 2019

Best of British: New partnership sees Lotus Engineering and Hope Technology collaborate on bicycle design

New joint venture champions a commitment to push the boundaries of what’s possible on two wheels
Collaborative programme of research and development, data analysis and knowledge-sharing
Topics will include lightweight engineering, aerodynamics and advanced material manufacturing

Internationally recognised automotive consultancy Lotus Engineering and world-leading bicycle component manufacturer Hope Technology have announced an exciting new partnership.

The joint venture has been established to explore new ways to push the boundaries of bicycle design and technology. At its heart will be a collaborative programme of research and development, data analysis and knowledge-sharing, covering topics such as lightweight engineering, aerodynamics and advanced material manufacturing.

Lotus Engineering is the internationally recognised automotive consultancy division of Group Lotus, best known globally for its iconic British performance cars. The current range – the Elise, Exige and Evora – are the spiritual successors to legendary Lotus models such as the Esprit, Elan and Elite, still much-loved around the world. Earlier this year Lotus revealed the Evija, an all-electric two-seater that will go on sale next year. With a target figure of 2,000 PS, it will be the world’s most powerful series production road car ever. Other new Lotus models will follow.

Group Lotus is based in Hethel, Norfolk, where it employs more than 1,000 people. The innovative engineering approach and problem-solving expertise of Lotus Engineering consultancy has covered sectors ranging from aerospace and medical research to furniture, boat-building and many other aspects of industrial design.

While Lotus is best known as a car company, it has a proud and highly successful history in cycling through its Lotus Engineering division. In the Nineties, Lotus was instrumental in the design and development of bikes for cycling legend Chris Boardman at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, where he won gold, and in the 1994 Tour de France, where he won the prologue time trial to the famous yellow jersey. The Lotus Sport bike – instantly recognisable for its aerodynamic design – remains to this day an iconic symbol of outstanding British sporting success.

Hope Technology is a well-established and highly regarded British brand that’s fully ensconced within the cycling industry and has always built its business and its reputation on making top-quality products. It has been designing, creating, manufacturing and testing innovative components for bikes at its Lancashire HQ for 30 years. Countless British bikes and riders have benefitted from Hope products and today the business exports around half of its output. After years of success in racing, it has recently moved into making complete, ready-to-ride bikes.

Phil Popham, CEO, Group Lotus, said: “Lotus is thrilled to be back in cycling for the first time in 25 years. Innovation and ingenuity have always been part of the Lotus DNA, and working in collaboration with Hope is a fantastic illustration of how the Lotus Engineering consultancy can support projects outside of the automotive sector.”

Ian Weatherill, Managing Director, Hope Technology, said: “When we started making innovative, highly-spec’ed disc brakes, back in the late Eighties, we didn’t imagine that Hope Technology would evolve into what it is today – a company with more than 150 employees hand-crafting components for both mountain and road bikes, 24-7. We are proud to have stuck rigidly to our philosophy, relentlessly pursuing only the best possible products. To be partnering with Lotus is certainly a great place to find ourselves in 2019, and it’s an exciting time for us all.”