The electric Lotus Eletre accelerates to 100 km/h in 2.9 seconds (!).
We already know the Lotus Eletre, right? Yes, but now it’s time for the final specs and pricing. In the Netherlands, the all-electric SUV costs at least 97,690 euros. The top version, the Eletre R, has 919 hp and accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 2.9 seconds.
Don’t let Lotus founder Graham Chapman hear it, but his adage “Simplify, then add lightness” is trampled on by the Eletre. Although we have to admit that 2000 kilos is not that much for an electric SUV. It is not yet known whether the Lotus engineers will reach this target weight in any case, because whether they have succeeded.
Lotus Eletre larger than a BMW X5
What do we know? That the Lotus Eletre is 5.1 meters long, 2.1 meters wide and 1.6 meters high. For comparison: A BMW X5 – not even a little boy – is almost 20 centimeters shorter than the Eletre. In fact, the latest Lotus is almost as big as the BMW X7. So what remains of the sporting spirit? No idea.
Lotus acquired by Chinese Geely
Lotus wants to grow. The small British sports car manufacturer was taken over by the Chinese Geely and received a lot of money for the development of new models. The Evija is a spectacular electric hypercar with an incredible amount of power. The Emira is a beautiful Evora successor with a supercharged Toyota V6. But you can’t get any further in today’s car world without an SUV.
No more spartan driving machine
So founder Chapman’s principles went overboard and finally an “off-roader” came along. One with over 1500 kilos of luggage space and – my goodness! – luxury. Because Lotus is not known for that. The Elise and Exige – which experienced the revival of the then ailing brand in the mid-1990s – were pure Spartan driving machines.
The Lotus Eletre is definitely not. For example, it has active air suspension, four-zone air conditioning, a 15-inch multimedia screen, LED headlights and almost infinitely adjustable seats as standard. Also interesting is the head-up display of the model, which measures no less than 29 inches! You can expect something for a starting price of 97,690 euros.
Top model with two gears and 919 hp
The base model Eletre and the Eletre S have two electric motors that together deliver 613 hp and 710 Nm. Remarkably, unlike so many electric SUVs, they are not limited, but are allowed to continue driving until the rolling and air resistance becomes too great. And that only at 258 km/h. The 0-100 sprint is over in just 4.5 seconds.
It can get even faster, because the R is right at the top of the Eletre product range. It also has two electric motors, but with 919 hp and 985 Nm. It accelerates to 100 km/h in 2.9 seconds and reaches a top speed of 265 km/h. This makes the Eletre R the fastest plug-in SUV on the market. Worth noting: Just like the Porsche Taycan, it has a second gear. Eletre and Eletre S don’t have that.
Battery is 80 percent full again in 20 minutes
Lotus hasn’t revealed how fast the Eletre can load, but from the load times we can tell it’s super fast. At the right charging station, the car’s 112 kWh battery is 80 percent charged again in 20 minutes. For the greatest range you need the least powerful powertrain. Then you can drive a maximum of 600 kilometers. Lotus specifies 490 kilometers for the 919 hp R.
Speaking of the latter: the top model costs 153,090 euros and can be ordered with a driving dynamics package that includes roll stabilization and rear-wheel steering. For the middle model of the Eletre series, the S, at least 123,900 euros are due in the Netherlands. Incidentally, also in Belgium. The prices there aren’t lower like all petrol cars (thanks, BPM!), but exactly the same.