With the advent of the wickedly fast Model S, and now the Model X and Y, why buy a tiny sports car when your everyday driver is just about as good? It’s become a game of survival, and as sports car companies chart a course, they find themselves in a whole new realm. Enter the Lotus Eletre EV SUV.
The Lotus Eletre SUV (ee-LET-truh) aims to compete in a rapidly evolving sector. And what does it bring to the table? The kind of aerodynamics that only Lotus can deliver.
In 1952 Colin Chapman founded Lotus with the mantra “simplify, then add lightness”. Fast forward to 2022, and you have perhaps the lightest, most aerodynamic electric SUV on the market. Lotus engineers used a porous design base, that allows air to flow through the grille. Included in the design is an adaptable spoiler. This spoiler, unique to SUVs, can change angle depending on speed, as well as the driving mode.
Although performance details of the Lotus Eletre EV are sparse, Lotus promises a minimum of 600hp with a 100kw battery. Among the 4 versions available, they hope to extend the hp to 1000. Also promised is 0-60mph in less than 3 seconds, with a maximum speed of 161mph, and a minimum range of about 350mi. It’s helpful to know that this SUV is quite larger than it looks. The Tesla Model X would be an accurate comparison, in both size and targeted performance.
The headlights are distinctively Lotus. You’ll see this Lotus SUV coming from a mile away in the dark. But perhaps your eye went to the unusually tiny side mirrors? Well, those aren’t mirrors, they’re actually cameras. They feed into a small screen located just inward of the door. Inside the vehicle we find aspects unique to the Eletre, mixed with elements of the Lotus Evija. But the lighting and multiple screens, as well as passenger display, is what draws the eye. A thin illuminating light spans the dash and switches from a bluish hue to red when the charge runs low. We can imagine someone new to EVs, and plagued with ‘battery anxiety’, may find this very helpful. The light also flashes for incoming calls. Need to charge your phone? No problem, simply set it in the console.
If you’re wanting a fast, efficient, roomy SUV EV, with plenty of storage space, the Lotus Eletre may be just what you’re looking for. And even though Lotus generally comes with a premium price tag, we expect the Eletre to retail at a competitive price. That’s, after all, what it’s all about – securing the future of Lotus in a category that’s rapidly taking over – the Sport SUV EV! The Lotus Eletre is promised in 2023.
