Lotus is already an iconic global brand when it comes to light, fun sports cars. Now the Geely-owned Lotus has unveiled something larger than their exotic sports cars, and it’s all-electric. It’s the Lotus Eletre, an all-electric SUV that packs a mighty punch.
Lotus Eletre is not only the iconic sports car brand’s first EV but also its first five-door vehicle. This is a major shift for Lotus and it has come out swinging, with the top model capable of going from 0 to 100km/h in less than three seconds.
The electric SUV was launched in a live stream overnight which they titled “Unleash the Future”.
“The launch of the Eletre is the natural next step for Lotus,” said Lotus Group vice-president and managing director Matt Windle. “Two-seater sports cars are not for everyone, and we want to offer a Lotus for every stage of your life. The Eletre is the start of that.”
Three models of the Eletre were launched, with a mix of single and dual-motor powertrains. The models include:
- Eletre
- Eletre S
- Eletre R
The first two come with a single motor while the top-of-the-range Eletre is propelled by high-performance dual-motors. The Eletre R will also reach 0-100 in under 3 seconds which gets close to the Tri-motor Tesla Model X Plaid. Specs of the 3 variants of the Eletre were also announced:
| Version | Eletre | Eletre S | Eletre R |
| Max power | 450 kW | 450 kW | 675 kW |
| Max torque | 710 Nm | 710 Nm | 985 Nm |
| Top speed | 258 km/h | 258 km/h | 265 km/h |
| Acceleration 0-100 km/h | 4.5 seconds | 4.5 seconds | 2.95 seconds |
| Acceleration 80-120 km/h | < 2.2 seconds | < 2.2 seconds | < 1.9 seconds |
| Battery capacity | 112 kWh | 112 kWh | 112 kWh |
| Charging time 10-80% (fast charger) | 20 mins | 20 mins | 20 mins |
| Max range (WLTP) | 600 km | 600 km | 490 km |
| Ground clearance (on 20″ wheels) | 188 mm | 188 mm | 188 mm |
| Boot capacity (5 seats) | 688 litres | 688 litres | 688 litres |
| Boot capacity with rear-seats folded | 1,532 liters | 1,532 liters | 1,532 liters |
The Eletre EV will also feature their new software “Lotus Hyper OS”.
Eletre to offer technology from the video game industry
During Lotus’s unveiling of the Eletre, the new operating system titled the “Lotus Hyper OS” was also showcased. It’s derived from the “Unreal Engine” technology from the video game industry to create 3D content and experiences for drivers.
In terms of the in-car experience, the fully customizable displays for the driver and an ultra-slim floating one-billion-color OLED touchscreen are on offer. The music experience includes the sound offered by Dolby Atmos and Eletre’s KEF speaker system.
112 kWh battery across the range with up to 600 km range
All models of the Eletre are equipped with 112 kWh battery pack that will offer 600 km of WLTP range on the single-motor variants.
The dual motor-variant high-performance Eletre R will derive up to 490 km from the same pack.
Prices start at £89,500 which is above $160,000 AUD. Details of the local launch in Australia are yet to be confirmed but from all things so far, this may be Lotus’s most popular model in its nearly 75-year history.
Riz is the founder of carloop based in Melbourne, specialising in Australian EV data, insight reports and trends. He is a mechanical engineer who spent the first 7 years of his career building transport infrastructure before starting carloop. He has a passion for cars, particularly EVs and wants to help reduce transport emissions in Australia. He currently drives a red Tesla Model 3.