FEATURE - Lotus Eletre
Photos: Lotus Cars
After resisting demands to add an SUV to their model range for a long time, many premium sportscar and luxury brands have gone all-in on SUVs in the past five years, including Lamborghini, Bentley, Maserati, Aston Martin and even Rolls-Royce. Lotus is one of the newest members of the premium SUV club and their debut model breaks new ground in several areas.
The only traditional thing about Lotus’s debut SUV is its name. Continuing a trend of model names starting with an ‘E’ that can be traced back to the 1960s with sportscar icons like the Elan, Europa, Esprit, Elise and Exige, the SUV is named ‘Eletre’.
Pronounced ‘El – Etra’, the name has an obvious “electric” sound that’s fitting for an EV. According to Lotus, Eletre is of Eastern European origin and translates as ‘Coming to Life’. For a company bringing an all-new model to life, that’s probably appropriate.
The Eletre is not just an electric SUV, but a ‘Hyper SUV’ in Lotus-speak, which means extreme performance. Power outputs start at a claimed 600hp (447kW), but that number has been revised since the Eletre was unveiled in March, 2022.
The base Eletre and Eletre S will produce 450kW and 710Nm, while the Eletre R offers 675kW and 985Nm.
Global Movement
Lotus describe the Eletre as evidence of their transformation from niche sportscar manufacturer into a global performance car brand and the first in a new breed of pure electric SUVs.
Since 2017, Lotus has been owned by Chinese car giant Geely, who also have Volvo and Lynk & Co in their portfolio. Being part of the Geely empire means Lotus have a lot more resources at their disposal than they did previously, which they’ve used to reinvigorate their range. Along with the Eletre, other all-new models include the Emira sportscar and Evija hypercar, with more to come.
Obviously, building an SUV opens up the Lotus brand to a wider audience. As some of the aforementioned prestige car brands have already found, that audience is happy to pay a premium for an SUV wearing their badge.
“The Eletre is a bold and revolutionary new car, delivering on our commitment to move Lotus into completely new automotive segments as we widen our global appeal and accessibility,” said Matt Windle, Managing Director, Lotus Cars.
“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.”
Qingfeng Feng, CEO of Group Lotus, adds that the Eletre will suit those who desire a driver’s car but whose lifestyle demands something more practical than a traditional two-seater sportscar.
Multiple Firsts, Maximum Performance
In addition to being their first SUV and first non-sportscar model, the Eletre is also Lotus’s first five-door vehicle and their first “lifestyle EV”. It was almost their first EV outright, but the Evija beat the Eletre to the punch on that front.
The Eletre will also be the first Lotus built offshore, with production to begin in 2023 at an all-new, state-of-the-art facility in Wuhan, China. Design work will be conducted in the UK, with development supported by Geely-owned operations in Sweden, Germany and China.
Some specification info released since the March, 2022, launch include the aforementioned performance figures, confirmation all model grades will feature dual electric motors (one on each axle) for all-wheel drive and range of up to 600km thanks to a 112kWh battery.
Lotus's own Electric Premium Architecture platform underpins the Eletre and can accommodate C+ to E+ vehicle class batteries, motors, component layouts and intelligent driving technologies.
Lotus say the 112kWh battery takes just 20 minutes to recharge from 10 to 80 per cent capacity, thanks to an 800V platform and DC fast charge rate of 350kW.
Bearing the Lotus badge means the Eletre has to be a performer, so power output enables 0-100km/h sprint times of 4.5 seconds in the lower grades and 2.95 seconds in the Eletre R, while top speed varies from 258km/h in the lower grades to 265km/h in the R.
Lotus Style
Reflecting the stance and profile of Lotus sportscars, the Eletre is in the ‘cab forward’ style, with a wheelbase of 3,019mm on a vehicle that’s only 5,103mm long, so overhangs front and rear are minimal.
The heavily-sculpted panels are in aluminium, with carbon fibre on areas like the wheelarches, sills and pillars.
For an SUV, the Eletre sits low to the ground, but the key to its design is what Lotus stylist Ben Payne calls “porosity” – the aerodynamic principle of air flowing through the car, as well as under, over and around it. This approach has already been applied to the Evija and Emira.
On the Eletre, this “flow through” styling is evidenced in areas like the lower grille opening that channels air through to vents on the bonnet.
What appear to be the headlights mounted atop the front end are actually DRLs, with the main lights and sequential indicators incorporated into the outer edge of the grille.
Diamond-shaped elements in the lower grille are functional aero devices that open when airflow is needed for the radiators that cool the electric motors, then close when the vehicle’s at rest or when drag needs to be minimised.
On the flanks, the door handles are flush-mounted, while the LIDAR sensor atop the windscreen can be augmented with additional LIDAR sensors on the side in what Lotus are claiming as a world first.
Instead of exterior mirrors, the Eletre uses a three-camera system to show not only what’s behind the vehicle, but also form part of the 360-degree camera and support in-built safety technologies.
The roofline projects beyond the D-pillar into small blades that are designed to reduce drag, while the rear end is defined by deeply sculpted air outlets at the outer edges and a ribbon-like tail light.
Inside the Eletre, what Lotus calls a performance-oriented and technical design features multiple planes and crossover lines that give a triangular, asymmetric effect.
Instead of leather and timber trim inside, a deliberate push for sustainability has seen Lotus choose materials like man-made microfibres on the main touchpoints and wool blend fabric on the seats that have the additional benefit of being lighter.
A 15.1-inch central touchscreen and sports steering wheel with a flat bottom and 12 O’clock marker are mostly conventional, but there’s no traditional instrument panel. A strip just 30mm high communicates key vehicle information, with a head-up display providing additional data.
While the touchscreen and voice controls handle most vehicle functions, a small selection of switches remain, including on the steering wheel.
The standard audio system is a 1,380 watt, 15-speaker surround-sound unit from British brand KEF, with an upgrade to a 2,160 watt, 23-speaker system available.
“The Eletre is packed with relevant technologies which take Lotus to a new level in the premium lifestyle segment, and also sets new standards across the global automotive landscape,” said Maximilian Szwaj, Vice President of Lotus Technology and Managing Director, LTIC.
Australia Confirmed
Lotus opened the order books for the Eletre - for China, Europe and the UK initially - late last year, with first deliveries to those markets expected shortly.
An Australian release for the premium performance SUV was unconfirmed at the time of the launch, but seemed likely given the Eletre has already been engineered in RHD form - and the Australian market's appetite for premium SUVs.
Late last year, an Australian release for the Eletre was confirmed, but deliveries aren't expected until 2024 at the earliest.
