Lotus Eletre ‘hyper SUV’ the start of a new EV era for British brand
Lotus has unveiled its first SUV, the Eletre, which is all-electric and promises supercar acceleration – and some of the fastest EV charging currently available.
Lotus refers to the Eletre as a “hyper SUV”, in part because of how fast it can be recharged.
The Eletre goes against the long-running Lotus mantra of being compact and lightweight, instead embracing the SUV trend and injecting it with electric performance.
It will also be built in China ahead of first deliveries late in 2022.
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With a strong emphasis on aerodynamics and design, the new Lotus Eletre will be able to pile on 400km of range in as little as 20 minutes when hooked up to a 350kW ultra-rapid charger.
Its battery capacity is claimed at more than 100kWh and the Eletre uses an 800V electrical architecture.
The overall EV range for the Eletre is claimed at about 600km when using the WLTP standard.
Plus it can charge at up to 22kW when using slower AC plugs – double the rate of many mainstream EVs.
It is built on the new Electric Premium Architecture (EPA) that was developed by Chinese parent company Geely (also the owner of Volvo and Polestar) and is planned to be used under at least three more electric cars from Lotus.
The British brand claims the Eletre has “the most advanced active aerodynamics package of any production SUV”, something aided by various vents and intakes that allow air to flow through sections of the car.
The managing director of Lotus Cars, Matt Windle, describes it as a “bold and revolutionary new car”, one that was designed from the ground up as an EV.
“This is a momentous point in our history and a clear signal of our ongoing desire to transform our business,” said Windle. “It is a true Lotus, and we’re confident it will delight performance car customers and offer a distinct alternative to the segment’s established players. The Eletre has the soul of a Lotus and the usability of an SUV.”
While there’s a high-riding body claimed to have plenty of interior space, the Eletre also has classic performance car design cues, including a sleek snout and low stance that has some design similarities to the Lamborghini Urus.
There are even available cameras to replace door mirrors.
The Eletre is loaded with the latest driver assistance and semi-autonomous technology, some of it made available by the fitment of a lidar, or laser radar.
There’s also the latest connectivity and in-car tech, including a sizeable 15.1-inch screen dominating the upmarket dashboard.
The Eletre has two electric motors driving all four wheels. In a nod to the innovation the brand is known for, Lotus has integrated the reduction gear and the motor controller into the motor design itself, something the company says makes the unit smaller and lighter.
No word on power outputs, other than Lotus claiming the five-door SUV will blast to 100km/h in less than three seconds. That will make it not only one of the fastest accelerating cars from Lotus ever but also one of the fastest-accelerating SUVs. Top speed is claimed at 260km/h.
The Eletre rides on adjustable height air suspension with active damping control as well as four drive modes: Range, Tour, Sport and Off-Road, as well as an Individual mode that can customise various parameters.
At 5103mm long and 2235mm wider it takes up more space than a Porsche Cayenne, although its 1630mm height is low by SUV standards.
The body is made of aluminium and there are various carbon fibre elements (seen in black) to further reduce weight.
No word on exactly how much the Eletre weighs, although you can bet it’ll be around double the mass of anything that’s come from the sports car specialists previously.
Perhaps that’s why there are massive 10-piston brakes lurking behind 23-inch alloy wheels.
The Eletre is the first of four new EVs Lotus has promised by 2025, representing a revival of the brand that has had its fair shares of challenges over the decades.
