Lotus jumps into super SUV market with new 592bhp Eletre

Lotus has revealed its first electric SUV, the Eletre.

The car is set to be built in Wuhan, China. It will come with close to 592bhp, all-wheel drive, and a battery capacity in excess of 100kWh, delivering a maximum WLTP range of 600km.

Lotus states that the Eletre will take charging speeds of up to 350kW from a direct current source, which will allow you to add 400km of range in just 20 minutes of charging. Maximum charging speed via an alternating current source meanwhile, stands at 22kW.

Underneath, the Lotus Eletre is based on a new Electric Premium Architecture. The platform, Lotus states, facilitates a low-to-the-ground design which promises outstanding handling, and can also accommodate a variety of battery sizes alongside different motor and component layouts as well as a variety of intelligent driving technologies.

On the Lotus Eletre, this platform is suspended atop a five-link suspension at the rear for optimised ride and handling, while standard equipment includes air suspension and Continuous Damping Control. Active ride height, active rear axle steering, an active anti-roll bar and torque vectoring via braking are all available.

Lotus states this platform will also be the basis for an all new range of premium lifestyle performance electric vehicles from Lotus designed to catapult the firm into higher retail volumes and significant revenues.

On the exterior, the Lotus Eletre adopts a cab-forward stance, with a long wheelbase and very short overhangs front and rear.

The car adopts the same porosity in its design as the Lotus Evija hypercar, with vents on its bonnet, before and aft of its wheel arches, as well as on the top of the D-pillar. Sharp and crisp edges define the design at the front, with slim daytime running lights at the upper section pairing with main beams that are located lower within the front grille element.

There's also an active front grille here, made up of a network of interconnecting triangular petals that will open when cooling for the Eletre's electric motors, battery pack and front brakes is required.

From the flank, you'll also notice the car's air outlets located aft of the front wheels. Flush door handles alongside door mirrors that have been replaced by electronic cameras aid aerodynamic efficiency here.

The Lotus Eletre also rides on 23-inch machine-cut split-finish five-spoke alloys, hiding ceramic composite 10-piston caliper brakes within for stopping power.

And at the rear, the Lotus Eletre sports the same full-width ribbon light strip as seen on the Evija. Situated just above the Lotus wordmark, the light strip glows red when the car is moving, and also serves as a scrolling directional indicator at each end, where it curves gently into the air outlets from the wheel arches.

In the cabin, the car is said to make generous use of ultra-premium and sustainable materials. There's durable man-made microfibres on the primary touchpoints, as well as an advanced wool-blend fabric on the seats. A triangular theme prevails here, alongside a driver-focused cockpit and high centre console for a luxurious yet cossetting driving experience.

There's also a rather nifty little instrument cluster here, which takes the form of a slim strip ahead of the driver. This layout is also repeated on the passenger side, showing on this side the music selection or nearby points of interest. Between the two is an OLED 15.1-inch touchscreen which will provide access to the car's advanced infotainment system.

The Lotus Eletre is on sale now across global markets, with first customer deliveries scheduled to begin in 2023 starting in China, the U.K., and Europe.