The very fact of evoking Lotus creates by reflex the mental image of a Formula 1 racing car driven by a Jim Clark or a Mario Andretti flirting with its limits. There are also those many ultralight sports cars bearing his emblem that proved that power was not the antidote to everything. But as every era comes to an end, this positioning does not ensure the survival of the small British manufacturer, which aspires to something bigger. The Eletre, the first SUV in the history of the brand, can undoubtedly be part of the solution.
Posted at 11:45 a.m.
Presented last week in London by none other than Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button, this new model inevitably benefits from the sums invested by the Chinese owner Geely. It’s a global product, designed in the UK and engineered together with teams in Germany, China and Sweden. It will also be assembled in China.
But, concretely, what is Eletre? Banking on an angular posture that irresistibly recalls the Lamborghini Urus without having any direct affiliation with the latter, it has a size similar to that of a BMW X5. It is however slightly lower than the latter, giving a more athletic profile to the rendering.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY LOTUS
Lotus Eletre relies on an angular posture that irresistibly recalls the Lamborghini Urus.
The Eletre inaugurates a brand new electric platform designed by Lotus. As with any self-respecting modern electric vehicle, it takes a skateboard-like approach by integrating the battery and electric motors into a compact, low-profile package.
Lotus argues that it uses a mixture of aluminum and high-strength steel to reduce its weight, without advancing a figure. We should logically expect a vehicle that is significantly heavier than normal for the manufacturer. To compensate, Lotus will employ a continuously adaptive air suspension that can increase ground clearance on demand (optional). Rear steering (also optional) will reduce the turning radius.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY LOTUS
The interior of the Lotus Eletre
As for the battery, which inevitably increases its weight, it will be 100 kWh. The norm, in short, for a vehicle of this stature. It will power two electric motors that will produce more than 600 hp in total and will be compatible with 350 kW ultra-fast chargers. An autonomy of 600 km in the European cycle is advanced, a figure which will be revised downwards once the North American protocol is applied.
The commercialization of the Eletre will begin in North America in 2024. Lotus told us that it does not know the exact date at this time. We’ll no doubt have an idea of the price range by then.