The Lotus Eletre is a big deal for the British car manufacturer and could make or break its ambitions of becoming a serious player in the ever-competitive electric vehicle space. So, what’s it like?
To find out, CarWow recently flew to China to see what the Eletre is capable of. It was tested in flagship Eletre R guise, a version that promises immense levels of performance all while costing almost half that of a Lamborghini Urus Performante.
Giving the first SUV from Lotus its go is a pair of electric motors that combine to produce 905 hp and 727 lb-ft (985 Nm) of torque. These motors are fed by a massive 112 kWh battery pack with an 800-volt architecture that supports 350 kW charging and can replenish the battery from 10% to 80% in just 20 minutes.
Read: Electric Lotus Eletre May Achieve Level 4 Autonomy Thanks To LiDARs
While testing out the Eletre’s straight-line performance, Mat Watson first reported a 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in 3.06 seconds but points out that the rear wheel steering appears to have been misbehaving, making the SUV feel a little unstable. In the second test, the SUV wasn’t just quicker but was also more stable, running to 60 mph in 2.99 seconds and completing the standing quarter-mile in 10.78 seconds. These figures don’t quite match that of the Tesla Model X Plaid but they aren’t far off.
The Eletre also has a far more luxurious interior than the Tesla. Among the key elements of the cabin are the sporty steering wheel and the massive central infotainment display. The SUV also has a small display for the passenger as well as plenty of storage cubbies. It is a similar story in the rear where the Lotus has electrically-adjustable seats and a large touchscreen to control functions including the climate control.
Lotus has not yet announced prices for the Eletre in the United States but we know it will launch locally for the 2024 model year. Prices for the entry-level model are tipped to start at around $85,000.