A commitment to an all-electric future is one thing, but can Lotus’ first SUV do for this famous British brand what the likes of the Cayenne did for Porsche? Ian McLaren finds out all about the Eletre R.
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Like a star athlete recalled to pre-season training from an altogether-too-comfortable summer break, the creaking sounds that emanated from our scales as the newest contender from one of the world’s most revered sports car makers “stepped up” for weigh-in proved just a little awkward.
Lotus Eletre R Fast Facts
- Price: from R4 500 000
- Engine: Dual permanent magnet synchronous motors
- Power: 675 kW
- Torque: 985 N.m
- Transmission: 2-speed automatic
- 0-100 km/h: 3.34 seconds
- 400 m: 11.54 seconds
- 1 km sprint: 20.55 second
- Top speed: 265 km/h limited
- Claimed range: 455 km
Founded by Sir Colin Chapman, the mantra of the Lotus brand has for close to 80 years been one of focused all-round performance via the considered management of weight. The appeal of models like the Elan, Elise, Exige and even the Emira driven in our November 2023 issue is that they offer seat-of-the-pants driving thrills and maximum engagement not necessarily via high-output drivetrains, but rather surefooted dynamics, impressive precision and agility. Tipping our scales at 2 688 kg, the new Lotus Eletre is 1 432 kg heavier than the Evora that we tested in our June 2010 issue.
Lotus isn’t the first renowned performance brand to shift its focus towards the popular (and profitable) SUV segment to fund its core business, but under the ownership of Chinese conglomerate Zhejiang Geely Holding Group since 2017, it is one of the first to commit to an all-electric future. With its name derived from the Hungarian word for “coming to life”, the Eletre is built on a platform that will also spawn a coupé-style four-door sedan and a compact SUV. This is before an all-new (all-electric) two-seater sports car eventually breaks cover.
Looking suitably menacing in its Stellar Black paint finish and wearing optional 23-inch alloy wheels, a walkaround of the Eletre reveals myriad intricate detailing, crease lines and aero solutions. The latter this helps Lotus this helps this raised ride height Lotus achieve an impressively slippery 0.26 Cd drag coefficient, despite exterior dimensions largely exceeding those of a modern Range Rover.
Related: Review: Lotus Emira V6 First Edition
Covering the famous yellow and green badge mounted on the bonnet, some were reminded of a Lamborghini Urus, while others saw Ferrari’s first SUV, the Purosangue, in the Eletre’s elongated rear three-quarter view. The innovative use of LED lighting technology throughout – including an interactive and colour-changing light bar at the rear – adds distinction. In our market, the Eletre R’s closest rival on price and performance is, ironically, the Porsche Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo.
An altogether more welcome departure from Lotus cars of old is one of the most beautifully crafted interiors that we’ve experienced. Material choice is excellent and build quality feels superior to anything that this traditionally back-to-basics brand has delivered to date. While the instrumentation is shared between slim-look digital readouts and a comprehensive head-up projection, most functions are housed within an impressively crisp 15.1-inch infotainment display – though physical buttons for basic climate control settings are welcome.
We can’t move past the material quality of this interior without mentioning the workings of the brushed metal controls on the multi-function steering wheel, the mounted paddles that in this application provide easy access to this all-electric SUV’s driving modes and brake energy recuperation or, indeed, the premium audio system.
Related: Emeya is First Hyper-GT From Lotus Set to Rival Taycan
Based on its noteworthy exterior dimensions, it’s no surprise there’s generous amounts of space within the cabin of the Eletre, including a claimed 688 litres of boot space. Available to order with either seating for three or two dedicated rear seats, while leg and headroom are among the best in this segment, the raised floor does translate to a slightly “knees high” sitting position. Offered in three derivatives that each feature a 109 kWh (usable) battery pack, the rear-mounted electric motor (of the two fitted) in the flagship Eletre R gains a notable bump in performance compared with the unit in the base car and the mid-tier Eletre S. Making use of a two-speed transmission where the other derivatives use a single cog, the 675 kW/985 N.m Eletre R sprinted from standstill to 100 km/h on our test strip in 3.34 seconds and despatched a 1 km sprint in 20.55 seconds.
And yet, as astonishing as these figures are for a vehicle that weighs the wrong side of 2.5 tons, this kind of point-and-shoot straight-line performance is what we’ve come to expect from powerful all-electric vehicles. Where the Eletre R finds favour is that via its standard air suspension, 48V independent and active anti-roll bars, all-wheel steering and finely tuned electro-mechanical steering, this distant relative of cars like the Exige has been afforded more than a modicum of dynamic poise and precision – especially once everything from the dampers to the active seat bolsters has been firmed via the sharpest of six driving modes. With this much torque on hand, even the optional 315/30 R23 tyres fitted to the R struggle for traction as you bury the throttle out of a slow corner…
Driven in its default Tour mode, the Eletre is an exercise in modern active safety and collision avoidance, including integrated LiDAR technology. A necessary inclusion within markets where Lotus seeks to establish volume sales; on our roads these systems often simply prove distracting. Also, more relevant (for the time being) to overseas markets is the Eletre’s 800V architecture which allows this vehicle to gain 400 km worth of range within 20 minutes via a 350-kW fast charger. Lotus claims a maximum usable range of 455 km per charge, though as we quickly established, this is heavily dependent on how often you dip into the Eletre’s not-insignificant power reserves. On this note, even the most aggressive of the four available brake regeneration modes doesn’t afford a single-pedal driving style for maximum efficiency around town.
Having come away so impressed with the strides in terms of usability, comfort and convenience – without compromising on legendary driving dynamics – that Lotus had made with its Emira, the prospect of the all-electric Eletre with its substantial footprint and difficult-to-ignore overall mass has left me conflicted. I understand why this vehicle needs to exist and, like Porsche and Lamborghini before it, a volume-selling SUV package should translate to more funds with which to continue building “core” products. And yet, unlike the two Volkswagen Group-owned brands mentioned, a box-fresh all-electric product like the Eletre SUV is so far removed from the kinds of vehicles that made Sir Colin Chapman’s creations so revered that it arguably appeals to a completely new customer who might never appreciate what the Lotus brand has been meant to so many enthusiasts since it first opened its doors in 1948.
Find the full article in the May 2024 issue of CAR Magazine.
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