2024 Lotus Eletre Electric SUV

Under the hood, the Eletre offers powerful dual electric motors, providing all-wheel drive and high torque, essential for its lightning-fast acceleration and control. This SUV can accelerate 0-62 mph in as little as 2.95 seconds, with a top speed of 165 mph in the Eletre R trim. Aerodynamically, it features curved blades and a deployable spoiler, enhancing its high-speed stability and road handling.

Inside, the Eletre showcases a luxurious and tech-savvy interior, equipped with cutting-edge features like a slimline central touchscreen, advanced navigation functionality, and a comprehensive Lotus Hyper OS. The digital cockpit includes a high-definition OLED instrument cluster and an interactive head-up display, enhancing both the driving experience and safety.

In terms of range, the Eletre excels with a maximum of 373 miles, supported by its 112 kWh lithium-ion battery. Charging is both fast and convenient, with a 20-minute charge on a 350kW DC rapid charger providing significant mileage, and a full charge achievable overnight using a 22kW AC wallbox.

The Eletre's dimensions and weight reflect its robust build and electric SUV character, starting at a kerb weight of 5,489.5 Ibs and offering substantial luggage capacity. The pricing for the Eletre begins at around $115,000, varying up to $155,000 depending on the trim and options chosen, making it a competitive entrant in the luxury electric SUV market.

A key design feature is its 'porosity', an aerodynamic principle allowing air to flow through, under, over, and around the vehicle. This principle, previously seen in the Lotus Evija and Emira, is evident in the Eletre, especially where air channels under the vehicle and exits through vents in the bonnet. Porosity reduces aerodynamic drag, enhancing both performance and range.

The front of the Eletre showcases a sharp and crisp leading edge, with design cues from the Emira and Evija. This includes layered surfaces and a streamlined performance focus. The vehicle features super-slim, technical light clusters with full LED headlights using Matrix technology and a unique High Beam Spot Module with active cornering light. The front also includes an active grille, contributing to the vehicle's porosity.

The Eletre's profile is dominated by muscular haunches, with air outlets behind the front wheels shaping the doors. The vehicle also features deployable door handles for smoother surfacing. The windscreen has a sports car-like rake of 27 degrees, leading to a tapering roofline and a floating D-pillar with an 'air blade' for drag reduction, a concept taken from the Emira.

At the rear, a full-width ribbon light strip includes a scrolling directional indicator and changes color for different functions. The Eletre also boasts a unique carbon fiber 'floating' split roof spoiler with a central section removed for weight reduction and LIDAR sensor integration.

In terms of dimensions, the Eletre is 5,103mm long, 2,135mm wide (with Electric Reverse Mirror Displays), and has a wheelbase of 3,019mm. The drag coefficient starts from 0.26, and the kerb weight ranges from 5,489.5 lbs to 5,820.2 lbs depending on the configuration. The SUV offers substantial luggage capacity, with up to 1,532 litres available when rear seats are folded.

Central to the Eletre's interior is the intelligent 'Digital Cockpit', highlighted in Interior images, which employs cutting-edge technology to enhance the driving experience. This includes the Lotus Hyper OS, an operating system that makes its debut in the Eletre, offering a seamless interactive experience with best-in-class performance. Interior images also showcase the cockpit's beautifully rendered graphics and intuitive operation.

The Eletre features dual Qualcomm 8155 Snapdragon chips, 12GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage, with 'Unreal Engine' technology for real-time 3D animations. Interior images depict the vehicle's 5G compatibility and software-over-the-air capability, ensuring continuous updates and improvements. Interior images also highlight the virtual personal assistant, which responds to voice commands for hands-free control.

A slimline, 15.1-inch HD OLED central touchscreen, only 10mm thick, provides exceptional clarity and an immersive experience. Interior images show the navigation functionality, developed with HERE Technologies, and a wireless device charger beneath the touchscreen. The Eletre also supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto2.

For passenger interaction, Interior images reveal a separate high-definition touchscreen for the front seat passenger and additional touchscreens for rear passengers. These allow control over various settings, including climate control and media playback.

The driver's experience is enhanced with a 12.6-inch HD OLED instrument cluster and a 29-inch head-up display (HUD) with semi-augmented reality, as seen in Interior images. This HUD projects key information, reducing distraction and enhancing safety.

Interior images also emphasize the Eletre's audio systems developed with KEF, including the KEF Premium and KEF Reference systems, featuring Dolby Atmos for an unrivaled music experience.

A smartphone app allows remote interaction with the Eletre, including control over charging, climate settings, and even remote parking. Lastly, Interior images showcase the digital technology applied to the panoramic glass roof, offering variable light transmission and improved heat insulation.

All three trims of the Eletre - the standard Eletre, Eletre S, and Eletre R - are equipped with a 112 kWh lithium-ion battery, operating at 800 volts. This high-capacity battery ensures a maximum range of 373 miles, according to the WLTP Combined range standard, though the Eletre R has a slightly lower range of 304 miles.

In terms of charging time, the Eletre models can recharge from 10-80% in just 20 minutes using a 350kW DC rapid charger. For home charging, each model comes with a standard 22kW on-board AC charger. When connected to a 22kW wallbox, the battery can be fully charged from 0-100% in less than six hours, making overnight charging convenient and practical.

The Eletre's intelligent navigation system further eases the use of public charging stations. It assists drivers in locating charging stations along their route and provides information on their availability. This feature ensures that drivers can efficiently plan their charging stops, making the most of the rapidly expanding network of public 350kW DC charging stations worldwide.

The aerodynamic specs of the Eletre include two curved blades that direct air over the rear window, connecting with a deployable spoiler. This spoiler deploys at high speeds, generating up to 248.02 Ibs. of downforce for improved road handling. Additionally, the honeycomb grille shutters automatically open and close to balance motor cooling and range extension.

Regarding powertrain specs, all three trims feature a full-time all-wheel drive with Lotus ICC intelligent torque distribution. The electric motors in all trims are permanent magnets, with the front and rear transmission being single speed for Eletre and Eletre S, while the Eletre R has a single-speed front and two-speed rear transmission.

Power and performance specs vary among the trims. The Eletre and Eletre S both deliver 603 hp (450 kW) and 710 Nm of torque, with a top speed of 160 mph. The Eletre R, however, ramps up to 905 hp (675 kW) and 985 Nm of torque, achieving a top speed of 165 mph. The acceleration of the Eletre and Eletre S 0-62 mph is in 4.5 seconds, while the Eletre R accomplishes 0-62 mph in a mere 2.95 seconds.

Suspension specs are consistent across all trims, featuring a multi-link setup for both front and rear, with dual-chamber air springs and continuous damping control. The steering system is electromechanical with a rack and pinion setup. Brake specs are also uniform across the range, with a 412 mm diameter for front brakes and 397 mm for rear brakes.

The Eletre offers various Drive Modes, adjusting the vehicle's character to suit different driving preferences and conditions. These modes include Tour, Range, Sport, Off-Road, and Individual Modes, with the Eletre R also offering a Track Mode for enhanced performance on circuits. Each mode alters the powertrain, suspension, and steering settings to optimize the driving experience according to the selected mode.

The MSRP for the 2024 Lotus Eletre is anticipated to begin at approximately $115,000, with costs rising to as much as $155,000 based on the selected trim and additional options.