There have been a countless number of Lotus Evora variants launched over the years, but Lotus hasn't made a single all-new model since the Evora launched way back in 2009. Now that Geely has taken over the company, this is finally about to change.

Last summer, Lotus shocked the auto industry when it revealed the Evija, an electric hypercar with 1,972 horsepower and 1,253 lb-ft of torque on tap. That makes it the most powerful production car ever made. 0-62 mph takes less than three seconds before the Evija hits a top speed of over 200 mph. Fast forward seven months later, and the Lotus Evija is nearly ready for production.

Before production can begin, Lotus has been preparing a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility for the Evija. Based in the company's home of Norfolk, UK, the new facility has been built alongside the company's test track where racing legends Ayrton Senna, Emerson Fittipaldi, and Jim Clark have tested F1 cars. Only 130 examples of the Evija will be hand-built at this facility, and the first year's production allocation has already been sold to customers around the world.

"This is now the newest car production facility in the world, and to witness it move from the drawing board to reality has been deeply satisfying," said Phil Popham, CEO of Lotus Cars. "It's testament to the commitment of all involved, and is the perfect sleek and high-tech production home for the Evija at our iconic Hethel headquarters."

"With our new factory ready, we are ahead of the pack in the emerging EV hypercar segment and 100% ready for some healthy competition." The completed hall was unveiled to more than 1,400 Lotus employees.

An overhead gantry crane, multiple vehicle lifts and a wheel alignment ramp have also been installed at the facility. Each car will be inspected in a state-of-the-art light tunnel before being unleashed onto the Hethel test track for dynamic testing. According to Lotus, the project has been a collaborative effort involving 20 specialist contractors and more than 50 experts on the site. Series production and first customer deliveries of the $2.2-million Lotus Evija are slated to start in the summer.