Life is made of choices, and for a small, old-fashioned sports car manufacturer, salvation is out of its comfort zone. Like Porsche with the Cayenne in 2002, Lotus should therefore go through the SUV box if it wants to find profitability. This is clearly the strategy put in place by its owner since 2017, the sprawling Chinese group Geely, which has already refloated Volvo with a certain talent. The Eletre is the first model in a future zero-emission range from Lotus, in a separate entity from Hethel's historic headquarters, with offices in London, an R&D center in Frankfurt and a dedicated factory in China, in Wuhan. It will soon be joined by a large sedan, then a more compact SUV and, eventually, a two-seater sports car (a time planned with Alpine). Enough to compete directly with Tesla or future electric models of Porsche, with the ambition to go from a production of a few hundred copies to 150,000 vehicles per year in 2028. But let the purists be reassured, in parallel, Lotus continues to manufacture in England featherweight sports cars, such as the recent Emira 4-cylinder or V6, whose success forces its customers to wait more than a year.
At least 2.5 tonnes on the scale
Lotus
A 5.10 m long SUV with a huge battery of 600 kilos necessarily makes a cross on any idea of lightness. Indeed, the Eletre oscillates between 2.5 and 2.7 tons depending on the version... No matter, at the wheel, we appreciate the liveliness of this SUV, the smoothness of its controls and the natural feeling of its steering. It is true that our test Eletre S is equipped with optional rear steering wheels that work wonders in manoeuvrability at low speeds as well as stability. Once launched thanks to the 603 horsepower and 710 Nm of torque sent to all four wheels by the two engines provided by the German equipment manufacturer ZF, with a torque of 710 Nm, the car allows lightning overtaking.
Even in sport mode - trim lowered by 15 mm - the efficient handling offered by the specially developed platform and the remarkable control of body movements thanks to the active anti-roll do not compromise the comfort provided by the standard active air suspension. Remember also that an R version is on the program, offering an even greater debauchery of power, with 905 horsepower.
Thirst for kilowatt hours
Lotus
The huge battery of 109 kWh net provided by CATL allows the Sino-British SUV to announce a homologated range of 600 km. The very high consumption (between 22 and 30 kWh/100 km) will not allow you to go that far, but approaching 500 km seems possible with a light foot on the accelerator. Fortunately, Lotus has thought big for charging with an architecture under 800 V taking ultrafast charges at 355 kW, provided you find a station that is capable of it, to go from 10 to 80% in just 20 minutes.
Lotus
The subtle design of this XXL SUV manages to refine its silhouette and play sportiness. Seven air flow channels help sculpt the design and improve aerodynamic efficiency, with a Cd of up to 0.26. In the cabin all dressed in leather and Alcantara, studded with screens (up to 7), Lotus plays the card of a very high-tech luxury. Their interfaces are sophisticated, but quite easy to use. An exceptional collection of outdoor sensors (4 lidars, 7 cameras and 6 radars as standard) promises a future evolution towards autonomous driving, even if initially customers will have to settle for classic features. Very habitable and equipped with a generous trunk of 688 liters, the Eletre is an invitation to travel, in silence or to the sound, remarkable, of its audio installation signed by Kef, English specialist in hi-fi.
The price positioning, from €97,890, represents a good compromise against much more expensive premium German competitors. The Lotus SUV is also well placed against its cousin from the Geely group, the Volvo EX90, or a Tesla Model X, both of which have the advantage of being able to accommodate seven people.
Technical data sheet
Motors: 2 permanent magnet synchronous electric
Power: 603 horsepower
Torque: 710 Nm
Transmission: all-wheel drive, 1-speed
Dimensions (L/W/h): 5,103 × 2,019 × 1,636 mm
Trunk: 688 liters + 46 liters (front)
Weight: 2,565 kilos
Performance (0-100 km/h): 4.5 seconds
Speed: 258 km/h
Fuel consumption (WLTP combined): 21.4-22.5 kWh/100 km
Range: 600 km
Price: 97 890 €
Lotus