Until the introduction of the Eletre, Lotus was known for very fast, very loud, and very light sports cars, radically optimised for performance – comfort was secondary. With the Eletre, everything is different – we took the electric SUV for a spin.
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In Lotus’ previous two-seaters, comfort was a foreign concept – lightweight construction and sportiness were far more important. For most models, just getting into the car was an acrobatic act, and the roaring engines were a job creation measure for the hearing aid industry.
With the Eletre, everything is different. Almost. The monstrous acceleration remains, but other than that, the SUV has little in common with the previous two-seaters. It is not the first time that Chinese parent company Geely has opted for this strategy. Smart also buried its previous (also two-seater) niche vehicle and replaced it with an electric SUV. But will it work for a tradition-rich sports car manufacturer like Lotus? A two-day drive with the Eletre through the mountainous Oslo countryside should provide answers.
Larger than it looks
Measuring 5.10 metres in length, 2.23 metres in width (or 2.13 metres if you opt for the digital mirrors), and a height of 1.63 metres, the Eletre is clearly outside the dimensions previously known from Lotus. However, without knowing the exact dimensions, the car seems much smaller. The design, especially the two-colour paint, conceals the sheer size – especially the height. From the lower edges of the windows onwards, all Eletres are deep black, which, together with the long and, at the same time, very horizontal front bonnet, creates the impression of a relatively low vehicle – a successful optical illusion. Various beads and air vents conceal its bulky appearance, making it look much more filigree than, for example, similarly sized BMW SUVs.
Interior & comfort
After getting in, you will unmistakably find yourself in a sports car – if it weren’t for the height and the comfortable entrance, you could easily think you’ve landed in a Lotus two-seater again. The inflatable seat bolsters grip passengers tightly, while the bulky centre console makes the interior cramped enough to make you feel connected to the car and the road – but not so cramped as to cause claustrophobia. This same centre console not only has hidden storage and cup holders – it also houses two speakers for the sound system (more on this later).
For the passengers
Perhaps the rear seats are where the influence of the Chinese parent company is most noticeable: in China, many people prefer to be driven rather than to drive themselves – and Lotus has taken that into account.
While in classic sports cars, the second row of seats is either non-existent or, at best, a makeshift for people measuring less than 1.40 metres, Lotus now offers two comfortable armchairs. These not only massage, cool and heat on demand, they also provide sufficient lateral support in case the driver rips around the curves. Between the two seats is a centre console with plenty of storage space, an extra display, and controls for the air conditioning, the passenger seat and the music. On the other hand, navigation, the planning of charging stops, and games are only available on the front display – something that Lotus could improve.
The panoramic glass roof provides a view of the sky. It can go from completely transparent to completely opaque in a wide range of settings – with automatic control depending on the amount of sunlight.
If you want maximum everyday utility, however, it is better to go for the 5-seater because, in addition to the extra seating space, you also gain more storage space thanks to the fold-down seats. The individual seats in the 4-seater configuration cannot be folded down due to the electric adjustment, reducing storage space from a possible 1,532 litres to 611 litres. If that’s not enough, the SUV can tow up to 2.25 tonnes.
For the drivers
The steering and suspension of the Eletre are not “Chinese” at all: sporty, firm, direct instead of soft and synthetic. In combination with the suspension and active roll stabilisation, taking curves is really fun. The handling is excellent. Due to the rear-axle steering, it seems as though the car shrinks by half a metre – the turning circle is impressively small for such a large car. However, it cannot hide its width, which is often a hindrance on narrow country roads or in the presence of oncoming trucks. And tight parking spaces are no fun either.
In contrast, the acceleration tests on a runway, which Lotus provided so that we could also experience the top speed of 265 kph, were really fun. The two-speed gearbox, which shifts relatively late, is striking; only at around 130 kph does a short jolt go through the vehicle. By comparison, if you step on the pedal in the Porsche Taycan, it shifts into its second gear at 90 kph.
The deceleration is almost as impressive as the acceleration: if you so much as stroke the brake pedal, the ceramic brakes bring the 2.5-tonne colossus to a halt as quickly as if you were throwing an anchor out of the boot.
The digital mirrors do their job well, only the position is unusual. Even on day two, I always looked out of the car at the empty space where the mirrors are supposed to be. But instead, there are only small cameras. The corresponding displays are on the inside of the doors, and on the left side, it is very close to the steering wheel – this will certainly take some time to get used to.
I was unable to experience the full potential of the 900-hp car in Norway due to speed limits. I could not even test the 0-100 kph acceleration (2.95 seconds in the Eletre R and 4.5 seconds in the S version), as the speed limit is 80 kph on country roads. A positive side effect was the low fuel consumption, but after 500 kilometres with an average speed of just over 60 kph, the consumption was a hefty 23.5 kWh/100km. Thanks to the 112 kWh battery, however, a range of almost 480 kilometres is realistic. Even with this consumption.
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