Lotus Eletre, the super electric SUV that rewrites the history of the brand

It is called Eletre and marks a new beginning for the English house, once known for its featherweight sports. It will arrive in 2023 at a price of over 120 thousand euros. Over 600 hp of power and more than 600 km with a “full” of energy

Emiliano Ragoni

@
emilianoragoni

March 30, 2022 – 15:26

Lotus Eletre is the name of the new electric super SUV from the English house. Indeed, the first ever SUV and, above all, the first battery-powered. Since Geely took control of the English brand, once known for performance cars with a favorable weight-to-power ratio, he has given a new identity with the aim of transforming it into a luxury brand capable of ensuring full-bodied volumes. In short, a real transformation that began with the Lotus Evija, an electric hypercar presented in 2019 and which takes a very specific direction with the new Eletre. The arrival on the market is expected in 2023, with a starting price of over 120 thousand euros. The goal is therefore to nibble customers on German brands and, why not, Tesla too.

Lotus Eletre, MAXI DIMENSIONS

The dimensions of the Lotus super SUV are decidedly maxi: 510 cm in length, 223 in width, 163 in height and a wheelbase of 302 cm. It will be available in both four and five seats. There is no shortage of luggage space as there are two compartments inside: a 400-liter rear and a 77-liter front. The style of the Eletre has influences from some European and Chinese models, but overall the car appears balanced. Note the prominent nose reminiscent of the Evija with crescent-shaped headlights and the large opening on the bumper. According to what was communicated by the English house this will have a fundamental role since it is of the active type, that is, it opens only in certain circumstances, when for example it is required to cool the powertrain. The arched roof and the rear stand out, which are characterized by the full-length headlight assembly and the spoiler positioned on top of the roof, without the central section. Also in this area you can then see the two large slits positioned at the height of the optical groups.

TECHNICAL FEATURES

The car is engineered on the new modular Electric Premium Platform, specific for electric cars and which will also be used for other models and will be the first Lotus to be built in China at the new Wuhan plant. As for the technical characteristics, Lotus stated that the car has over 600 hp of power ensured by two electric motors, one at the front and one at the rear. Electric units that are powered by a battery of over 100 kWh, which ensures a range of 600 km. The Eletre will also be able to benefit from ultra-fast recharges, thanks to the 800 V system. Performance is absolutely up to par with a shot from 0 to 100 km / h in 3 seconds. While certainly not being able to count on the agility of historic sports cars, the English house has nevertheless equipped the car with a whole series of devices capable of guaranteeing excellent dynamic qualities. In fact, there is no shortage of air suspension, rear steering axle, active anti-roll bars and active limited-slip differential.

DRIVE ALMOST ALONE

The Eletre is the first battery-powered SUV to be equipped with several Lidar sensors, which are exploited by the car for its sophisticated driving assistance system which, according to the company, is ready for level 4 of autonomous driving. The interiors are decidedly modern, with particular attention to the use of light and recycled materials. There is also a LED lighting system and a large cantilevered central screen from which it is possible to view the contents of the multimedia system.



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