Lotus is known for its iconic sports cars such as the Elise, the Exige, and the Evora, and in the age of the new normal, the all-electric Evija hypercar and the ultimate ICE-powered Lotus sports car, the Emira. Sadly, Lotus' near-seven-and-a-half decade tradition has been broken thanks to the arrival of the first SUV, the Eletre.
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| 2024 Lotus Eletre |
Starting at 89,500 British Pounds plus additional costs, the first-ever Lotus Eletre truly is a treason to the Lotus heritage because why build a bulky SUV and call it a Lotus? Don't ask them, ask the Chinese overlords who controlled them like puppets on a string.
Geely, the Chinese company that controls not just Lotus but Volvo as well, is the main reason why the Lotus Eletre was spawned because this is the new normal, and SUVs are treated like superhero movies. Anyway, while getting bothered about Lotus's first SUV, what to expect from this "made in China" curiosity?
.jpg "2024 Lotus Eletre") |
| 2024 Lotus Eletre |
Beginning with the styling, the Eletre is downright futuristic for an electric crossover of this size, making the Tesla Model X look like a dozen of balut on a fruit basket. You gotta admit that such futuristic styling is the first impression the Eletre delivers even while cruising on the open road. What's also cool is the rear lights that glow green while charging, indicating battery levels, as well as the pop-up gadgetry lurking through its skin. This is what the future feels like.
.jpg "2024 Lotus Eletre") |
| 2024 Lotus Eletre interior |
.jpg "2024 Lotus Eletre") |
| 2024 Lotus Eletre interior |
The same story goes for the interior because the Eletre is like a supercomputer on wheels. On the driver's side, you can expect AR HUD, a 15.1-inch HD OLED touchscreen, ambient lighting, and jewel-grade switches on the AC and gear change. Looks like fancy living for the driver but on the passenger side, the Eletre is offered with a choice of a four or five-seater and they can be folded down for up to 1532 liters of boot space, making it more than enough to carry even the most sensitive stuff while on the go.
Although having rear seats in a Lotus is also treason for purists, you gonna love the four-seater version because of the center console gadgetry that will keep VIPs busy while driving to their destination. Although too expensive to be used as a family vehicle, the Eletre works like a luxury car while going on a trip to the world's most extravagant destinations.
Thanks to the dual motors that power it and the Geely-derived platform underneath, the Eletre is the first Lotus to have a four-wheel-drive system, another treason to the Lotus heritage. Although it doesn't behave like a Lotus, it delivers a throat-chopping experience when you put your foot down and looks like someone's driven to tears, wishing they want to experience this electric crossover someday.
The Eletre features three different configurations with the base variant producing 612PS of power and 373 miles of driving range to the ultra-powerful Eletre R with a monstrous 918PS of power output, capable of going from 0-60mph in less than three seconds and has a top speed of 165mph. As for the range, the Eletre R is good for 304 miles on one full charge.
Although speedo boys are not going to like it, the Eletre features the most sophisticated ADAS offered such as the LIDAR system, ultra-HD cameras, and millimeter-wave radar, making it equipped for fully autonomous driving. Shocker.
The Lotus Eletre is treason to the Norfolk-based sports car company's heritage but with all that power packed, this is the crossover you are itching to drive someday. Like it or not, the Eletre is Lotus' jack of all trades or should I say tirades if you prefer and it's ready to boldly go where no Lotus has gone before. Be ready when you see one.
Photo: Lotus Cars