This is a difficult one. On one hand it’s a Lotus; a lightweight sports car designed primarily for driving enthusiasts. On the other hand, it’s designed to meet the needs of more enthusiasts, opening its market reach and potentially securing Lotus’s future – it could become its best-seller.
That latter statement might seem far-fetched but take a look at Porsche now. It was almost on the brink of demise until the Cayenne came along and saved the day. And now there’s the Macan mid-size SUV which has also become one of the company’s best-selling models.
So, what’s the first Lotus SUV like? We had a short drive of the mid-level S variant during the official media launch event to see.
2024 Lotus Eletre S: Specifications
Battery: 112kWh, 800V
Output: 450kW / 710Nm
Gearbox: One-speed front axle, two-speed rear
Drive type: All-wheel drive
Wheels: F: 22×9.0, 275/40 R: 22×11.0, 315/35
ANCAP: Not tested
Weight: 2550kg
Official range: 535km
Charging: 22kW AC, 350kW DC
0-100km/h (claimed): 4.5 seconds
Starting price: $229,990
2024 Lotus Eletre: How much does it cost?
Like the Lotus Emeya sports sedan that launched recently as well, the new Eletre is available in three main levels; the Eletre, Eletre S, and Eletre R. All are fully electric and feature a 112kWh battery, energising two electric motors for all-wheel drive.
The base model is priced from $189,990, and then the S kicks off from $229,990, with the clinically insane R starting from $279,990 (all excluding on-roads). It is an expensive SUV, but in the scheme of things, it currently has no direct rival in terms of being a performance-focused, large, luxury, fully electric SUV.
Some distant rivals include the Lamborghini Urus S (from $418k), the Bentley Bentayga (from $396k), and the Porsche Cayenne (from $143k).
2024 Lotus Eletre: Interior & packaging
Designers at Lotus have done a brilliant job with these new interiors. This is breathtaking, the way the dash cascades down and around the cabin, with suede-like materials and leather intertwining it all, with a minimalist approach to switchgear and controls.
All three variants are pretty similar but can be optioned to look quite different, with Quartz vegan leather in light grey and yellow for the R (optional on others), or Malachite green or Ruby red also available for those looking for extra spice. Each variant is also offered with different alloy wheel designs, from 20-inch in the base to 23-inch carbon-trimmed items for the R.
The centrepiece for the dash is a 15.1-inch OLED touch-screen, paired with a 12.6-inch digital gauge cluster. There’s also a digital screen for the passenger, along with in-built eSIM with 5G, a 15W wireless phone charger, and an epic 29-inch head-up display system. A high-end KEF sound system with Dolby Atmos technology also comes standard – if you love your tunes loud, this will blow your mind (out).
As with most electric vehicles, the space in the cabin is fully optimised as the floor is generally flat and there aren’t many disruptive fixtures getting in the way. This means copious legroom is available in the front and back, and headroom is more than adequate for this style of vehicle.
The ceiling isn’t as high as it is in some SUVs, as this is more of a lower-slung proposition. However, this is not really characterised as one of those coupe-style SUVs. Visibility is great and you do kind of sit with a commanding position.
Boot space is rated at 688L and expanding to 1532L with the rear seats folded. That’s in the default five-seat configuration. The S is offered in four-seat form as well, seeing boot space drop to 610L, and you can’t fold down the rear seats. The base and R are five-seat only. There’s also 46L of cargo space under the bonnet in all three.
This could easily be used as a daily driver. There is no limitation in terms of practicality, space, or convenience. It comes with plenty of luxuries and common features applied in other luxury SUVs as well, including plenty that aim to make life easier – just because it wears a supercar badge doesn’t mean it’s compromised.
2024 Lotus Eletre: Powertrain & handling
The base model and the S develop 450kW and 710Nm, while the R generates an organ-pressurising 675kW and 985Nm. We didn’t get a steer of the R, unfortunately, but Lotus says it’ll do 0-100km/h in an incredible 2.95 seconds, making it one of the quickest SUVs currently on the market.
We had a drive of the S, and, it might not be as quick as the R but it is more than quick enough to qualify it as a supercar of SUVs. Lotus claims 0-100km/h takes 4.5 seconds, while the top speed is 257km/h. That’s fast by anyone’s standard.
Drivers can play around with different driving modes, including a Range mode to prolong range, and a Sport mode for maximum performance and response. It feels very punchy during roll-on acceleration, with a heaving leap off the line.
However, like we saw with the Emeya sedan, it doesn’t catapult off the line in a jolting way like other performance EVs. It actually feels calm and controlled, but then a rush of top-end speed creeps up on you and sends big g-force through your internals.
Around corners, it’s flat, very precise and stable, and feels every bit as high-end as the price tag suggests. We didn’t get a chance to properly tackle a high-tempo winding road, but, from what we can tell, it seems to offer a solid and sure-footed feel, with hints of its 2600kg weight only felt during rapid directional changes and during heavy braking.
The battery tech is very advanced, based around an 800V architecture that offers up to 350kW (355kW peak) DC charging. It also supports 22kW AC charging as standard. Using a 420kW charger (not available in Australia at time of writing), Lotus says the battery can go from 10-80 per cent in just 20 minutes. Even using a 22kW AC unit, it takes 5.8 hours to go from 0-100 per cent, which is impressive considering the mammoth battery capacity.
2024 Lotus Eletre: First impressions
Overall, this feels like a supercar SUV. It’s exotic, very fast, and looks completely different to any other SUV. I think it will be a hard sell for Lotus though, at least in the first year or two of sales. But just because it is a risky move, it could be what’s needed to keep the Lotus pedigree going under its new parent, Geely.
We’re aiming to do a full test and review soon, including performance testing.
2024 Lotus Eletre: Video
