At last, the British carmaker Lotus has arrived in India, after years and years of hearing scoops and plans that never came through. Of course, we still wish the carmaker had arrived when the Elise was alive, but hey, it’s better late than never. Lotus Cars are renowned for their handling, and notably, manufacturers such as Mahindra sought help for fine-tuning the Scorpio’s chassis back in 2003-04. Lotus also used to be involved in Formula 1, with the late Ayrton Senna being immensely successful with 17 pole positions.
The Eletre might not be the brand’s first EV, but its first-ever SUV, born out of the necessity to stay relevant against competitors. Take the Ferrari Purosangue, or the Rolls-Royce Cullinan for example. Heck, even McLaren is set to come out with its first SUV sometime around 2028.
The Lotus Eletre is powered by two electric motors and a 112 kWh battery pack, giving it a claimed output of 594 bhp and 72.39 kgm of torque, which makes it capable of reaching triple digits in 4.5 seconds. The 112 kWh battery pack gives it a WLTP-claimed range of 600 km on a single charge, with a 22 kW AC wallbox charger topping it up in 5.8 hours. Meanwhile, a 350 kW DC fast charger will take 20 minutes to charge it from 10 to 80 per cent. Meanwhile, the Eletre R draws more power out of its electric motors, churning out 892 bhp and 100.4 kgm of torque. Reaching a top speed of 285 kmph, the Eletre R reaches triple figures in just 2.95 seconds!
Given its green intentions, the Eletre’s interiors are made out of sustainable materials, and are swathed in an environmentally-friendly alternative to leather, which is also said to be odour-free. The dashboard is unique and split into half, with a unique strip running across its length. The split dashboard also houses a slim screen setup for the front passenger, while the driver gets a slim digital cockpit setup as well. Then there’s the 15.1-inch OLED screen with connectivity and other functions, and rear passengers exclusively receive another touchscreen as well.
You can also choose between a four-seater and a five-seater setup. In terms of standard equipment, it packs in LiDAR-based assisted driver tech for autonomous driving, along with four-zone climate control, adaptive suspension, a 15-speaker KEF sound system, five driving modes, and torque vectoring among other things. Optional equipment includes auto-dimming ORVMs, active rear spoiler, soft-close function for doors, air purifier, and a 23-speaker 2160-watt KEF sound system.
The Eletre SUV will soon be followed by the Emira in 2024. We can’t wait — how about you?
