Lotus Eletre ‘hyper-SUV’ unveiled

Pricing locked in and orders now being taken for Lotus’ all-new high-riding EV due in first half of 2024

UPDATED 8/09/2023: Lotus Cars Australia has today confirmed that the all-new, all-electric 2024 Lotus Eletre S ‘hyper-SUV’ will be priced from $239,000 plus on-road costs.

The mid-series Eletre S will open at $269,000, while the range-topping 675kW Eletre R will start from $315,000 plus ORCs.

Final Australian specifications are still to be confirmed for the high-performance battery-electric SUV, but local customers will soon be able to configure their vehicle using the British sports car marque’s online configurator.

Dealer demonstrator vehicles are expected to arrive Down Under from the factory in China in October this year, ahead of first customers deliveries from the second quarter of 2024 – about a year later than anticipated at the SUV’s unveiling in March 2022.

Lotus says enquiry rates and reservation deposits for the Eletre have been strong across its national retail network, and that customers who approach a dealer direct should be able to elicit a final spec and drive-away price for early-build cars.

The company also promises a comprehensive list of options will be available across the range.

The Eletre will carry a five-year/150,000km factory warranty, while the battery and other high-voltage parts (motor assembly drive and ECM control unit) will have eight-year/200,000km cover.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE PUBLISHED 30/03/2022: The virtual covers have come off the 2023 Lotus Eletre – an all-new, all-electric ‘hyper SUV’ that is due to commence production later this year.

Developed in the UK and set to be manufactured in an all-new factory in Wuhan, China, the Lotus Eletre – pronounced ‘El-etra’ and meaning ‘Coming to Life’ in some Eastern European languages – is billed as the famous British sports car brand’s first “lifestyle electric vehicle” and the five-metre-long wagon will be its first five-door model and first SUV.

The battery-powered semi-autonomous SUV will join the Lotus Evija as the Geely-owned car-maker’s second electric model and is one of three new ‘lifestyle EV’ models due from Lotus between now and 2026.

Known until now as the Lotus Type 132, the 2023 Lotus Eletra is said to combine the ‘heart and soul’ of the company’s final combustion-powered model, the Emira sports car, with the performance of the Evija electric hypercar to distinguish itself as the world’s first all-electric hyper-SUV, according to Lotus.

“A bold new dimension to the Lotus performance car portfolio, the Eletre delivers a significant number of firsts for Lotus – the first five-door production car, the first model outside sports car segments, the first lifestyle EV, the most ‘connected’ Lotus ever,” said the company.

“And yet it remains a true Lotus, a beautiful car ‘carved by air’, packed with pioneering technology, genuine sporting performance and simplicity of purpose, designed and developed by a passionate and global team. The Lotus Eletre is alive with character and personality.”

Riding on a 3019mm wheelbase, the Eletre measures a Porsche Cayenne-like 5103mm long and a broad 2231mm wide with traditional door mirrors (2135mm with Electric Reverse Mirror Displays), but only 1630mm high.

That makes its half a size larger than pioneering European electric luxury SUVs including the Jaguar I-PACE, Audi e-tron and Mercedes-Benz EQC.

Visually, the Eletre sets itself apart with the “most advanced active aerodynamics package on any production SUV” including a gaping active front grille, plus a cab-forward stance punctuated by short front and rear overhangs, muscular haunches and lashings of carbon-fibre.

The rear-facing cameras will replace conventional wing mirrors in certain markets – ala Audi e-tron – and the Eletre rides on mammoth 23-inch wheels.

At the heart of the Eletre is an all-wheel drive powertrain that draws energy from a big 100kWh-plus battery and develops upwards of 450kW.

Lotus says the Eletre can deliver a 400km range in just 20 minutes when hooked up to a 350kW DC fast-charger, with a total range of 600km when fully charged.

A 0-100km/h acceleration time of under three seconds is also claimed by the car-maker, making it about as quick as the upcoming three-motor Tesla Model X Plaid (2.6sec claimed), together with a top speed of 260km/h.

Riding on a five-link rear suspension, the Eletre combines air suspension and continuous damping control – with optional extras including active ride height, rear wheel steering, active anti-roll bar and torque vectoring.

Four preconfigured drive modes will be available – Range, Tour, Sport and Off-Road, plus Individual – controlling the steering, damper settings, powertrain and accelerator pedal response.

The interior is available with four-seat or five-seat layouts, each employing a 15.1-inch centre touch-screen display braced by individual displays for the driver and front passenger, plus materials including “highly durable man-made textiles and sustainable lightweight wool blends”.

Each function of the Eletre can be purportedly controlled via smartphone, but that didn’t stop designers integrating some hardwired functionality in a nod to Lotus simplicity.

The Eletre is built on Lotus’ all-new Electric Premium Architecture, which incorporates extensive use of carbon-fibre and aluminium to reduce weight.

It’s claimed to deliver world-first deployable LIDAR technology in a production car, offering “end-to-end” autonomous driving functionality that’s said to be future-proofed via the option of over-the-air safety system updates.

“End-to-end autonomy means a customer can use their smartphone app to request their Eletre to drive to them autonomously from a nearby parking space, and then autonomously repark once the journey is complete,” Lotus said.

“Further capability can be added via OTA software updates, as and when it is allowed by local market regulation.”

The same 800-volt electric vehicle architecture will form the basis for a new range of EVs from Lotus, targeting higher retail volumes and revenues.

“The Eletre is a bold and revolutionary new car, delivering on our commitment to move Lotus into completely new automotive segments as we widen our global appeal and accessibility,” said Lotus Cars managing director, Matt Windle.

“This is a momentous point in our history and a clear signal of our ongoing desire to transform our business. It is a true Lotus, and we’re confident it will delight performance car customers and offer a distinct alternative to the segment’s established players.

“The Eletre has the soul of a Lotus and the usability of an SUV. Alongside the Emira sports car, this is the perfect two-car garage from Lotus.”

Orders for the Eletre are now open globally including in Australia. First customer deliveries commence from 2023, beginning in the UK, Europe and China.