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Photo: Lotus
Apart from the Carlton, no other Lotus in history has stirred up this much controversy. The Lotus Eletre has Lotus purists miffed, but it’s also the car that will likely secure the British marque’s future under Chinese owner Geely, the megacorporation that purchased a controlling stake in Lotus in 2017 and also owns Volvo, Polestar, and more.
After all, almost every sports car manufacturer has glommed onto the SUV bandwagon to splendorous success, and it was only a matter of time before Lotus followed suit. How else would the 75-year-old automotive brand accomplish its ambitious Geely-mandated goal of selling 100,000 cars by 2028?
While purists may call it blasphemy on several counts, it’s the brand’s first-ever SUV and first production electric vehicle; it’s missing the glorious grunt of a high-octane V6 that Lotus lovers love; and it’s being built in Wuhan, China, of all places — the Eletre is already opening up new market segments for the hitherto niche brand.
According to a representative from local dealer Wearnes Automotive, about 40 per cent of orders received for the Eletre thus far have, unsurprisingly, been placed by women, as compared to its 95 per cent male customer base when all Lotus made were two-door sports cars with mostly manual-only transmission.
Photo: Lotus
The new Eletre is as much a head-turner as it is a conversation starter. In the age of the SUV, most certainly don’t get as much attention on the roads as the Eletre did during our weekend with it. Perhaps it’s because no one’s ever seen a Lotus SUV before, and this unit was the only one of its kind in Singapore during our test drive last November (customer deliveries start January 2024).
Or perhaps it’s because it’s giving Lamborghini Urus vibes styling-wise. Trust us, you’d do a double take, too, but that’s about where the comparisons begin and end.
To temper the outrage of Lotus enthusiasts, it is worth noting that the first Lotus ever to proffer four doors still comes with the Lotus badge, and with the Lotus badge comes the promise of performance. The Eletre comes in three all-wheel drive variants: the base Eletre, the Eletre S, and the Eletre R, with a choice of two powertrains.
The first two whip up 449kw and 710Nm torque via a single-speed motor, while the Eletre R is equipped with a dual-speed set-up that spits out 674kw and 985Nm of torque, going from zero to hero in a head-snapping 2.95 seconds and making the latter the fastest dual-motor electric SUV on the planet today.
The new Eletre is as much a head-turner as it is a conversation starter. (Photo: Lotus)
Our Eletre S — the middle child — was insanely quick, hitting the century dash in 4.5 seconds flat, a feat that betrays its 2.5-tonne heft thanks in part to a hulking body aerodynamically Swiss-cheesed from front to rear (drag coefficient of 0.26, anyone?).
To be sure, this high-performance SUV with a racing pedigree all but rebels against long-departed Lotus founder Colin Chapman’s famed mantra: “Simplify, then add lightness.” The 650kg battery pack under the floor alone weighs almost as much as an entire retired Lotus Elise, which gives the Eletre a generous on-paper range of 600km on a full charge.
There’s also nothing simple about the sheer amount of tech this Lotus offers. Let’s begin with the screens: A 15.1-inch touchscreen handles the main vehicle functions, accompanied by a slender touchscreen strip for the front seat passenger and an 8-inch one for those in the back.
The Eletre is the most advanced Lotus ever built, featuring a surge of new tech anchored by a 15.1-inch main touchscreen. (Photo: Lotus)
Behind the hexagonal steering wheel are paddle shifters for brake regeneration (three levels) easily accessible on the left, and you can toggle between five drive modes (Tour, Range, Sport, Off-Road, and Individual) on the right. The Eletre R gets a sixth — Track Mode — and it doesn’t take much for the mind to conjure just how much more thrilling this could get on a circuit.
There are a ton of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), with a total of 34 sensors diligently doing the work to keep you safer on the roads. And Lotus says the Eletre is capable of Level 4 autonomy which basically has no real-world relevance until the legal framework is in place for autonomous driving.
Inside, its high-gloss, highly tactile high-end interior is also plusher than any other Lotus you’ve ever seen, featuring gold trims, suede-swathed surfaces, wireless charging, and a 23-speaker KEF premium sound system.
Behold the most swish Lotus cabin yet, featuring gold trims, suede-swathed surfaces, and a 23-speaker KEF premium sound system. (Photo: Lotus)
You also have the choice of configuring this SUV as a four-seater with two individual bucket seats in the rear or as a five-seater with a three-place rear bench. And we guarantee you’ve never seen this much boot space on a Lotus: 688 litres in the back or a 46-litre frunk in the front. In essence, the Eletre is the most un-Lotus Lotus ever produced, and that’s not a bad thing — depending on who you ask.
Lotus Eletre S
Motor Power/torque: 449kw; 710Nm
Battery: Lithium-ion, 112kwh
Charging Time/Type: 5.8 hours (22kw AC); 10 to 80 per cent in 20 minutes (350 kw DC)
Range: 600km
0 – 100 kmh: 4.5 seconds
Top Speed: 258 kmh
Efficiency: 21.4kwh/100km
