Name: New Lotus Eletre models and Specifications
Brand: Lotus

450kw-112kwh-5dr-auto

If you go for the standard Eletre or the Eletre S, you get two electric motors (one on each axle for four-wheel drive) which produce a combined 603bhp. That’s enough for 0-62mph in 4.5sec and a top speed of 160mph. Meanwhile, the car’s 112kWh battery delivers an official range of up to 373 miles.

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Like cheaper versions of the Eletre, the flagship R has an electric motor on each axle, making it four-wheel drive. However, the one at the rear is massively uprated, boosting total power to 905bhp. As a result the 0-62mph time is slashed from 4.5sec to just 2.95sec, while top speed rises by 5mph to 165mph. On the downside, the official range between charges falls to 310 miles.

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The list of standard equioment includes 22in alloy wheels, air suspension, keyless entry and start, a powered, hands-free tailgate, four-zone climate control, electric seat and steering wheel adjustment, a head-up display and a 360-degree parking camera.

ELETRE

To help you make the most of its extra performance, the Eletre R comes equipped with active anti-roll bars and stickier, more track-focused tyres. In addition, it adds a Track driving mode, which lowers the car’s ride height, improves the responsiveness of its motors and allows more slip before the traction and stability control intervene.

Upgrading to the S trim level brings some kit that’s nice to have, but by no means essential, including fancier wheels, soft-close doors and a 2160-watt 23-speaker KEF audio system (in place of the standard car’s 1380-watt, 15-speaker KEF system).

Estate

Fancy something small, lightweight and fast? Then Lotus possibly has the right car for you. In fact ‘simplify then add lightness’ was the mantra of company founder Colin Chapman as far back as 1952.

These days, Lotus sells four models, with the core of the range being the Elise. Then there’s the more hardcore 3-Eleven, the sporty Exige and the Evora – which is pitched as a rival to the Porsche Cayman.

Big changes are afoot, though, because Lotus plans to build its own SUV in the near future, with the hope of broadening the brand’s appeal to families. The planned car will use Volvo underpinnings and will tackle rivals such as the Porsche Macan and Maserati Levante.

LOTUS

450kW 112kWh 5dr Auto

450kW S 112kWh 5dr Auto

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450kW S 112kWh 5dr Auto [4 Seat]

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675kW R 112kWh 5dr Auto

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675kW R 112kWh 5dr Auto [4 Seat]

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Lotus Eletre

Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

The Lotus Eletre is priced competitively with the Audi SQ8 e-tron and looks reasonably good value against&nbsp;the Porsche Macan Turbo Electric but costs more than a Tesla Model Y Performance.

Like its <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/electric-suvs/n23038">electric SUV</a> rivals, it should cost less to run than petrol alternatives, especially if you can charge at home overnight, and will attract much less <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/company-car-tax-guide/n9352">BIK tax</a> if you get one as a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/best-company-cars/n22605">company car</a> than any non-electric alternative. You’ll need to budget for hefty tyre and insurance bills, though.

Reliability is hard to assess at this stage, and not just because <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals/make/lotus">Lotus</a> has traditionally sold too few cars to feature in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/reliability-survey-most-reliable-cars/n26137">What Car? Reliability Survey</a>. There’s also the fact that the Eletre is built in a new factory in China instead of alongside the company’s sports car’s in Norfolk.

The independent safety experts at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/the-safest-cars-on-sale-today/n19724">Euro NCAP</a> haven’t assessed the crash worthiness of the Eletre yet, but it comes with lots of kit that’s designed to help you avoid an accident in the first place. That includes&nbsp;lane-keeping assistance, driver attention monitoring and systems that can prevent you from driving forward or reversing into the path of another vehicle.

Standard security equipment, meanwhile, includes an alarm that meets the top Category 1&nbsp;standard of the independent assessors at&nbsp;Thatcham.

In addition, all Eletres come with keyless entry and start (including the option for the car to recognise you via your phone), a powered, hands-free tailgate, four-zone climate control, a premium audio system and wireless&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-android-auto/n1194">Android Auto</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-apple-carplay/n1193">Apple CarPlay</a>&nbsp;phone connectivity.

<h2 dir="ltr">Costs overview</h2>

Strengths&nbsp;Lots of luxury and safety equipment; priced in line with most rivals

Weaknesses&nbsp;A Tesla Model Y gives you more performance for less money; no reliability data

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There are three versions of the Lotus Eletre, with the standard car and the Eletre S both producing 603bhp, and the range-topping Eletre R upping power to a scarcely believable 905bhp.

We drove the S&nbsp;and it’s undoubtedly fast, covering the benchmark 0-62mph sprint in 4.5 seconds. That said, when you ask for a burst of speed, it doesn’t pin you back in your seat with the same ferocity as a similarly-priced <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/taycan/estate/review/n22960">Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo 4S</a> or a less expensive <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/tesla/model-y/hatchback/review/n23624">Tesla Model Y Performance</a>.

Instead, you’re more likely to be impressed by the sheer relentlessness of the Eletre’s acceleration, with the rate at which it builds speed showing no sign of tailing off, even when we pushed the car hard at our private test track.

The Eletre also turns in to bends sharply and resists body lean well (particularly when you switch from Tour to Sport mode), but it doesn’t offer the sort of playful, rear-biased feel you get with an <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/aston-martin/dbx/estate/review/n21787">Aston Martin DBX 70</a>7 or Porsche Macan Electric. Instead, it grips hard, but ultimately starts to slide from the front end, making the handling feel more reminiscent of the Audi SQ8 e-tron.

Fortunately, the Eletre is more comfortable than the SQ8 e-tron on motorways, where it soaks up imperfections and undulations without ever getting floaty.

It’s just a shame the ride rather falls apart at low speed, with urban bumps and potholes causing abrupt body movements that mean you’re often jostled in your seat. Indeed, all the Eletre’s key rivals are better at dealing with&nbsp;imperfections.

The sense of calm is further undermined&nbsp;by the excessive road noise the Eletre generates at higher speeds. If you need to speak to other occupants, you’ll find yourself raising your voice.

Whichever Eletre you go for, you get a 109kWh (usable capacity) battery, which is enough for an official range of up to 373 miles in the Eletre and Eletre S, while the R manages 310 miles.

For comparison, the Macan 4 Electric officially offers 380 miles, the Macan Turbo Electric is said to manage 367 miles and the SQ8 e-tron manages just 284 miles.

A <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/fastest-charging-electric-cars/n26105">maximum charging speed</a> of 350kW means the Eletre's battery can go from 10-80% capacity in as little as 20 minutes.

<h2 dir="ltr">Driving overview</h2>

Strengths&nbsp;Strong performance; comfortable at speed

Weaknesses&nbsp;Too much road noise; you’re jostled in town

OUR PICK

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Whether it’s Betamax, Blockbuster&nbsp;or another brand that doesn’t begin with a B, we can all think of companies that ran into trouble after failing to move with the times. The Lotus Eletre is designed to protect its maker from the same fate.

Lotus is best known for little lightweight sports cars of course, and the Eletre is definitely not one of those – it's an&nbsp;electric SUV that tips the scales at around 2.5 tonnes.

Yet, sports cars sell in minuscule numbers while SUVs dominate the car market, so it's not hard to see why the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/lotus">Lotus line-up</a> is being diversified. And for the first time in years, the company has money to spend because it's&nbsp;now owned by Chinese automotive giant Geely (which also owns Volvo).

Is the Lotus Eletre any good? Well, in this review we’ll be answering that question. Plus, we’ll tell you how we rate it against high-performance <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/electric-suvs/n23038">electric SUV</a>&nbsp;rivals including the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q8/4x4/review/n18397">Audi SQ8 e-tron</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/macan-electric-estate/4x4/review/n26737">Porsche Macan&nbsp;Electric</a>&nbsp;plus some&nbsp;petrol-engined alternatives, including the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/aston-martin/dbx/estate/review/n21787">Aston Martin DBX</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/cayenne/estate/review/n17375">Porsche Cayenne</a>.

The Eletre's interior is unlike anything else we’ve seen from <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals/make/lotus">Lotus</a> – and we mean that as a compliment. Construction seems rock solid and everything is bespoke.

Okay, the silver plastic air vent at the base of the centre console lets the side down a bit, but the other materials are very appealing, with most surfaces swathed in Alcantara, and various switches made from metal and operating with&nbsp;precision.

Similarly, the huge 15.1in <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/best-car-infotainment-systems-tested-and-rated/n21269">infotainment touchscreen</a> is of suitably high resolution for a car of this price. And while it’s a shame there are no physical buttons (the iDrive system in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/ix/4x4/review/n23569">BMW iX</a> is easier to use while you're driving) it is highly responsive and its menus are thoughtfully arranged making it a pleasure to use.&nbsp;

You can also control key systems such as the stereo, climate control and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/best-sat-nav-apps/n24915">sat-nav</a> via a voice control system that recognises natural speech instead of requiring you to remember specific commands. We found it to be much more reliable than VW’s new ChatGPT voice assistance IDA.

By SUV standards, you don’t sit especially high up in the Eletre, but the driving position is fundamentally good, with everything lining up as it should, a wide range of electric adjustment and the front seats striking a great balance between comfortable and sporty.

Forward visibility impresses, too. And while over-the-shoulder visibility is somewhat restricted, there are numerous driver aids, including parking sensors, a 360-degree camera and a blind-spot monitoring system.

As well as the main infotainment touchscreen, there's a&nbsp;slim&nbsp;digital instrument panel and a head-up display that projects key information, such as the car’s speed, on to the windscreen in front of the driver. Meanwhile, the front passenger gets a small touchscreen for controlling the stereo.

Speaking of the stereo, one of the biggest incentives for stepping up to S trim is that you get a mightily impressive 2,160-watt, 23-speaker KEF sound system as standard (an expensive option on the base car).

The audio quality is properly cinematic, putting most rivals' so-called premium sound systems to shame. Indeed, the 21-speaker Burmester system in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2023-ferrari-purosangue-review/n25564">Ferrari Purosangue</a> sounds a touch flat in comparison.

<h2>Interior overview</h2>

Strengths Feels classy and well built; good driving position

Weaknesses Silver detailing should really be metal at this price point

The Eletre is grippy in corners and comfortable at speed&nbsp;but there's lots of road noise at 70mph

The Lotus Eletre is more than five metres long and around two metres wide, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that it offers lots of interior space.

You won’t feel hemmed in up front, despite the presence of a chunky centre console that features two cupholders and a good-sized storage bin. Plus, even six-footers will find they have plenty of head and leg room to stretch out in the back – even more than you'll find in a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bentley/bentayga/4x4/review/n17228">Bentley Bentayga</a>.

As standard, you get a three-person rear bench with a backrest that folds flat in a versatile 40/20/40 split. Alternatively, you can specify the reasonably priced Executive Seat Pack, which brings two individually adjustable rear seats that are separated by additional storage and another touchscreen.

At first glance, the Eletre’s boot looks a little shallow, but it’s deceptively large, with a 688-litre capacity, which beats that of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/aston-martin/dbx/estate/review/n21787">Aston Martin DBX</a> (638 litres) and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q8/4x4/review/n18397">Audi Q8 e-tron</a> (569 litres), and is only just pipped by the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/cayenne/estate/review/n17375">Porsche Cayenne</a> (698 litres).

We managed to fit a whopping 10 carry-on suitcases below its parcel shelf,&nbsp;which is two more than we got in the back of a Q8 e-tron and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/ix/4x4/review/n23569">BMW iX</a>.&nbsp;

We managed to fit seven carry-on suitcases in the Eletre’s boot. Or, alternatively, you should have plenty of room for a couple of sets of golf clubs.

The main boot is backed up by a small secondary luggage area beneath the bonnet, with this "frunk"&nbsp;big enough to take the car’s charging cables.

<h2 dir="ltr">Practicality overview</h2>

Strengths&nbsp;Lots of space for four; large boot complemented by frunk

Weaknesses&nbsp;Rear seats don’t fold flat if you specify Executive Seat Pack

Eletre

eletre

The Eletre offers the best interior of any Lotus to date – by a huge margin – plus there’s loads of grip in corners and it’s a comfortable high-speed cruiser. Unfortunately, you have to put up with a lot of road noise and the ride is uncomfortable around town.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Sufficient range between charges to fit in with most people’s lifestyles – and in the real world, not on some far-fetched official test </li> <li>Quick charging times and compatibility with the most ubiquitous types of public charging points </li> <li>Priced to be within the grasp of more than just the privileged few </li> <li>As with any car, ride comfort, practicality and ownership costs can’t be ignored</li></ul>

We define an electric car as one that runs purely on battery power and has no tailpipe to puff out nasty chemicals.

The best of the breed offer sufficient range between charges to fit in with most people’s lifestyles – and in the real world, not on some far-fetched official test cycle.

Electric

This class is all about SUVs that run purely on electricity. No petrol, no diesel and not even any hybrid technology.

Relatively low-cost options include the MG ZS EV, but you can easily spend three times as much on more luxurious alternatives, such as the BMW iX.&nbsp;

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