Lotus unveils its first EV 'Eletre,' says world's first electric hyper-SUV

British automaker Lotus has unveiled its first SUV as an all-electric ‘Eletre’. The luxury high-performance SUV, developed under the codename Type 132, marks the beginning of the company reinventing itself as an electric-only performance car brand.

The Eletre, which has design elements inspired by the company’s Evija and Emira, was designed at the Lotus Technology Creative Centre in Coventry, England. This is also Lotus’s first of four new EVs to be launched by 2025.

The SUV Eletre "takes the heart and soul of the latest Lotus sports car – the Emira – and the revolutionary aero performance of the all-electric Evija hypercar, and reinterprets them as a Hyper-SUV,” the company stated in a press release.

Apart from being the first SUV from the British carmaker, Eletre is also the "first five-door production car, the first model outside sports car segments, the first lifestyle EV, the most ‘connected’ Lotus ever.”

Matt Windle, Managing Director, Lotus Cars, said, “The Eletre is a bold and revolutionary new car, delivering on our commitment to move Lotus into completely new automotive segments as we widen our global appeal and accessibility. This is a momentous point in our history and a clear signal of our ongoing desire to transform our business.”

The Eletre, which translates to ‘coming to life’ in Hungarian, will be offered in three different forms, with the difference in performance and specifications. However, all variants of the SUV will have four-wheel drive as standard.

“It is a true Lotus, and we’re confident it will delight performance car customers and offer a distinct alternative to the segment’s established players. The Eletre has the soul of a Lotus and the usability of an SUV. Alongside the Emira sports car, this is the perfect two-car garage from Lotus,” Windle further added.

The new Lotus Eletre SUV, which is based on Lotus' 800V Electric Premium Architecture (EPA) platform, will be able to add around 400 km of range in a 20-minute charge on a 350 kW DC fast charger, putting it on par with the Audi e-Tron and Hyundai Ioniq 5, claims the company.

Qingfeng Feng, CEO of Group Lotus, said, “The Eletre, our Hyper-SUV, is a new performance car from an iconic performance car brand and it will appeal to independent-minded and adventurous driving enthusiasts – those who love the thrill of driving. It is a unique combination of beautiful design, exceptional dynamic performance and everyday usability, for those who dare to look beyond the conventional, and marks a turning point for our business and brand.”

While Lotus hasn’t officially revealed the exact battery capacity of the car but has hinted that it "has a battery capacity that’s over 100 kWh" with an estimated total range of 373 miles.

In addition to this, the company also states that because of its dual front and rear motors, which reportedly produce 600 horsepower, the SUV can achieve a top speed of around 260 kmph and can sprint from 0 to 100 km in less than 3 seconds.

The Eletre is also the first vehicle to feature a deployable LIDAR array, used to supplement the driver-assist system. Maximilian Szwaj, Vice President of Lotus Technology and Managing Director, Lotus Tech Innovation Centre (LTIC), said, “ADAS technologies such as LIDAR sensors and cameras will become increasingly common on new cars as we move into a more autonomous era, and to have the world’s first deployable LIDAR system on the Eletre is a signal of the technology vision we have for Lotus.”

The new Lotus Eletre, on the inside, gets an a15.1-inch landscape-oriented touchscreen infotainment system and a 30mm strip on either side of the dashboard that displays vehicle information instead of a traditional instrument cluster. The car also has a third screen which acts as an infotainment display. In addition to a dedicated smartphone app, 5G data compatibility and over-the-air software updates are also offered.

The new Eletre will be manufactured at the Lotus' new production plant in Wuhan, China and the deliveries are expected to start in 2023.