Lotus built a reputation for building sportscars, and lightweight cars at that. So it may come as a surprise to learn that its newest vehicle is an all-electric SUV. Say hello to the Lotus Eletre. Lotus’ new owners, Chinese company Geely, says Eletre is a globally relevant product, a shining halo of sustainable mobility for a worldwide audience. Embodying emotion, intelligence and prestige. It extends the reach of the Lotus name, badge and renowned driver engagement to a new audience.

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Many firsts

The Lotus Eletre brings a few firsts for the brand. It is the company’s first five-door production car, first that isn’t a sportscar and first to be built in China. It is also the first of three new Lotus lifestyle EVs that will be built in the next four years.

Check out the upcoming Lotus Evija hypercar by clicking this link.

Eletre is built on Lotus’ all-new Electric Premium Architecture (EPA). A low-to-the-ground design means the EPA can be adapted to accommodate various vehicle class battery sizes, motors and component layouts. The ‘hyper-SUV’ (their term, not ours) is said to have the most advanced active aerodynamics package of any production SUV. The production process also makes extensive use of carbon-fibre and aluminium for weight reduction throughout.

Lead designer Ben Payne commented: “The Eletre is a progressive all-electric performance vehicle embodying emotion, intelligence and prestige. As the first of the brand’s lifestyle cars, it sets the standard for what will follow. We have taken the iconic design language of the Lotus sports car and successfully evolved it into an elegant and exotic Hyper-SUV.”

The Lotus Eletre’s dramatic appearance isn’t encased in a small package. It measures 5 105 mm in length, is 2 135 mm wide, 1 630 mm tall and has a wheelbase of 3 019 mm. Those numbers place it among the likes of the Lamborghini Urus in terms of overall dimensions.

Read our Lamborghini Urus driving review by clicking this link.

All electric

There was no detail regarding the Eletre’s powertrain in the press material. We do know that it has an all electric drivetrain. The company says that power outputs start at 450 kW, nice! The car comes with four drive modes. These modes are Range, Tour, Sport, Off-Road and Individual. Choosing between them adjusts the steering, damper settings, powertrain and accelerator response

The press release says that the large SUV will be able to sprint from rest to 100 km/h in under three seconds. While its top speed is quoted as 260 km/h. Eletre has all-wheel-drive, with one electric motor per axle and is said to have a range of 600 km.

In his own words

Matt Windle, managing director, Lotus Cars, commented: “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. This is a momentous point in our history and a clear signal of our ongoing desire to transform our business. 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. Alongside the Emira sports car, this is the perfect two-car garage from Lotus.”