Lotus Says Its New Crossover Is a Hyper EV - Here’s Why

Lotus is developing a new crossover called the Eletre. The company says that it has the soul of a Lotus with the usability of an SUV. Qingfeng Feng, CEO, Group Lotus, says, “The Eletre, our Hyper-SUV, is for those who dare to look beyond the conventional and marks a turning point for our business and brand.”

So, "what makes Eletre a hyper-SUV?" you may ask. As far as we can see it is primarily power and speed. The Eletre will have power “starting from 600 hp.” Lotus claims it will run from 0-60 MPG in under 3 seconds. Lotus says this will make the Eletre “The first of a new breed of pure electric SUVs.”

Tesla has already delivered a vehicle in this segment. The Model X Plaid has over 1,000 HP. Tesla claims a 2.5-second 0-60 MPH time. Model X Plaid vehicles have been delivered to private owners in small quantities over the past three months.

Gavan Kershaw, Director, Attributes and Product Integrity, Lotus, says of the Eletre, “Dynamically, the Eletre has been developed to deliver everything you would expect from a Lotus – outstanding ride and handling, highly communicative steering and exceptional driver engagement. From a performance perspective, we know the world is watching so there has been an obsession with getting everything just right. Everyone is delighted with it – it’s a world-class product and a true Lotus.”

Lotus is planning some impressive performance options for its Eletre. These include 23” wheels and brakes with 10-piston calipers and ceramic rotors. Lotus says that the Eletre supports end-to-end autonomous driving technology, and due to its included suite of sensors is future-proofed for further development.

Lotus says the Eletre’s battery capacity is over 100kWh will enable a maximum range of 373 miles. Lotus also says that Eletre’s 800-volt electric architecture allows for a charge time of just 20 minutes to gain 248 miles when charging at a CD Fast Charger with a capacity of 350kW.

We reached out to Lotus and asked when the first Eletres will be delivered and were told “First deliveries will take place towards the end of 2022 / early 2023.” The battery supplier Lotus is working with is not presently public knowledge. Watch Torque News for more information on this exciting new entry to the high-performance BEV SUV market.

Image of Eletre courtesy of Lotus.

John Goreham is a long-time New England Motor Press Association member and recovering engineer. John's interest in EVs goes back to 1990 when he designed the thermal control system for an EV battery as part of an academic team. After earning his mechanical engineering degree, John completed a marketing program at Northeastern University and worked with automotive component manufacturers, in the semiconductor industry, and in biotech. In addition to Torque News, John's work has appeared in print in dozens of American news outlets and he provides reviews to many vehicle shopping sites. You can follow John on TikTok @ToknCars, on Twitter, and view his credentials at Linkedin

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