The large SUV with the Lotus logo did not fail to make people talk about it in the aisles of the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Treason or theory of evolution? We were able to discover it for the first time in three dimensions.
When “light is right” (what is light is good, in French) has always been the mantra of the Lotus brand and its founder, Colin Chapman, now the darling label of radical sports car aficionados is also moving to the electric SUV. Having changed hands several times, the English brand is now under the control of the Chinese Geely, owner of Volvo, Lynk&Co and other Zeekr…
And even if the Lotus Eletre seems to be moving towards a “reasonable” weight of less than 2 tonnes (mentioned by the brand at Drive.com), certainly lightweight in this category of electric SUVs over 5 meters in length (5.10 m exactly) often closer to 2.5 tons, we are far from the spirit of the origins. The use of carbon, aluminum and the latest generation batteries would make it possible to achieve this result.
For performance, with 600 hp minimum, less than 3 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h, 260 km/h peak and 600 kilometers of autonomy with its battery of more than 100 kWh and an architecture under 800 volts, she ticks the right boxes in the category. The maximum charge at 350 kW DC would make it possible to regain 400 km in just 20 minutes. In AC, the Eletre peaks at 22 kW.
A beautiful sports SUV
The two copies that we were able to discover (from the outside only), one anthracite gray, the other bright yellow, allowed us to take the measure of the design of the Anglo-Chinese family. The front plays the card of a certain sporty aggressivenesswith a kind of very sculpted giant grille, surmounting the real opening allowing the ventilation of the whole in the lower part of the shield.
The hood overhangs the whole, while lights reminiscent of some modern Ferrari productions ensure the look of this very large SUV, long, wide and high. We note the camera mirrors, the thin retractable door handles, the carbon black fender flares and sills, and the drop in the shoulder line at the level of the quarter panel, a gimmick already seen, which lacks originality .
The very sculpted flanks visually lighten the whole, especially as the front fenders let through an aerodynamic flow useful for managing cooling and turbulence. The Lotus Eletre is camped on massive 23-inch wheels. The heavily stretched rear is punctuated at roof level by a bizarre two-piece spoiler, while the unmistakable LED strip and brand name embossed in full lettering adorn the bow.
The result is an SUV with sporty lines, certainly, designed by Ben Payne, but which could wear just about any badge. It was certainly difficult to transpose the DNA of the brand easily on a body so diametrically opposed to the productions of the firm of Hethel, in Norfolk. A “hyper-SUV”, according to its creators.
Lots of options
The Lotus Eletre can receive optional ceramic discs to stop the assembly, as well as the inevitable panoramic roof. The active suspension is pneumatic, complete with an active anti-roll system and torque vectoring using the brakes for active distribution of torque on the 4 wheels to boost its behavior. Four driving modes (Range, Tour, Sport, Off-Road) are on the program. Autonomous driving is also part of the program, with the integration of a Lidar.
In the cabin, the fabrics are signed by the specialist Kvadrat, while the sound system is signed by the British Kef, with 2,160 watts and 23 speakers. Two thin screens (30 mm thick) are integrated into the dashboard in front of the driver and passenger, while a large 15.1-inch tablet sits in the middle of the dashboard. The driver is also entitled to an augmented reality head-up display. The very sporty steering wheel incorporates the driving aid controls.
Price and availability
The production of this model which responds to the code name Type 132 is announced in a Chinese factory of the group by the end of the year. The first deliveries should start in 2023, with a call price above 100,000 euros. The Lotus Eletre is just the brand’s first electric vehicle that also plans sports sedans.
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