The Lotus Eletre is a battery electric full-size luxury crossover SUV produced by the British sports car manufacturer Lotus Cars. It was revealed on 29 March 2022 as the company's first production SUV and its first vehicle produced in China.
| Lotus Eletre | |
|---|---|
 2022 Lotus Eletre | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Lotus Cars |
| Production | 2022–present |
| Assembly | China: Wuhan, Hubei (Wuhan Lotus Technology) |
| Designer | Ben Payne[1] |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Full-size luxury crossover SUV[2] |
| Body style | 5-door SUV |
| Layout | Dual-motor, all-wheel-drive |
| Platform | Electric Premium Architecture (EPA) |
| Related | Lotus Emeya |
| Powertrain | |
| Electric motor | 2× Permanent Magnet Synchronous motors |
| Power output |
|
| Transmission | 1-speed direct-drive (2-speed for the rear motor, R-series) |
| Battery | 107/112 (usable/total) kWh Lithium Ion Polymer |
| Electric range | 304–373 mi (489–600 km) (WLTP)[3] |
| Plug-in charging | 800 V, 430kW DC[4] or 22kW AC |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 3,019 mm (118.9 in) |
| Length | 5,103 mm (200.9 in) |
| Width | 2,135 mm (84.1 in) (with side camera mirrors) 2,231 mm (87.8 in) (with conventional mirrors) |
| Height | 1,630 mm (64.2 in) |
| Kerb weight | 2,634 kg (5,808 lb)[5] |
Overview
editConceived by Jean-Marc Gales, Lotus's CEO at the time, the Lotus SUV project originally surfaced in 2016. Prior to this project, Lotus had revealed the 2006 Lotus APX concept crossover SUV, the first SUV that the company had built. In 2020, it was revealed that the internal codename for the new SUV project was 'Lambda' and that the model will be revealed in 2022.[6] Later in 2021, teasers for the SUV were released and the 'Type 132' codename name for the model was revealed.[7] In February 2022, Lotus showed more teasers and revealed that the SUV would debut on 29 March 2022.[8][9]
Ahead of its official debut, 3D patents published by the intellectual property office on 8 March revealed the Lotus Type 132, showing the SUV's coupe-like design.[10] Later that month, the final production name of Type 132 was revealed to be 'Eletre', consistent with the other mass-production Lotus model nameplates which all begin with the letter 'E'.[11] The name of the car is derived from the Hungarian word "életre" which means "(coming) to life".[12]
The Lotus Eletre was designed at the Lotus Tech Creative Centre in West Midlands, England and is produced in Wuhan, China.[9]
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Rear view
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Interior
Specifications
editBattery and platform
editThe Eletre is based on the Lotus Premium Architecture for the company's future C-segment and E-segment electric models. After the Type 132, two more SUVs and a sports car are planned to be released.[13]
For model year 2024, The Lotus Eletre is available in three trim levels: base, S, and R. All models are equipped with a 112.0-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery that supports charging speeds up to 350 kilowatts.[14] The base and S trims feature a dual-motor powertrain producing 603 horsepower and 524 pound-feet of torque, while the range-topping R trim boasts a more powerful setup (with an uprated rear motor), generating 905 horsepower and 726 pound-feet of torque. The R version, furthermore, is equipped with a 2-speed gearbox for the rear motor. The Eletre R can reach 60 mph in 2.9 seconds.[3]
Technology
editIn a teaser video released by Lotus, a LiDAR sensor is shown rising from the roof of the Lotus Eletre.[15] Also shown through teasers are digital side mirrors and a floating infotainment system.[10]
References
edit- ^ "Eletre - Lotus Cars Media Site". Lotus Cars. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
- ^ "Lotus Eletre Launched In China With 918 hp, 600-km Range And Starting Price Of 115,900 USD". Carnewschina.com. 25 October 2022.
- ^ a b Ewing, Steven. "2024 Lotus Eletre First Drive Review: New Beginnings". Insideevs. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ "Li Mega showed a 552 kW peak charging capacity thanks to CATL's 5C battery". 24 October 2023.
- ^ Neil, Dan (16 December 2023). "An All-Electric Dreadnought From the House of Lotus". The Wall Street Journal. p. D13.
- ^ Allen, Lawrence (9 November 2020). "Electric Lotus SUV due in 2022 with 750bhp, 360-mile range". Autocar. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
- ^ Gauthier, Michael (8 November 2021). "Lotus Type 132 Electric SUV Teased, Debuts Next Year". Carscoops.
- ^ Gauthier, Michael (28 February 2022). "Lotus Type 132 Electric Crossover To Debut On March 29th". Carscoops. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
- ^ a b Parikh, Sagar (2 March 2022). "Lotus Type 132 electric SUV to enter production this year – Report". TopElectricSUV. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
- ^ a b Bell, Sebastien (8 March 2022). "New Lotus Type 132 Electric SUV Uncovered Thanks To Design Patents". Carscoops. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
- ^ Gutman, Andrew (27 March 2022). "It's Official: Lotus Type 132 Electric SUV To Be Called "Eletre"". Carscoops. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
- ^ Lotus Eletre: What Makes It So Unusual? | Catchpole on Carfection, 29 March 2022, retrieved 31 March 2022
- ^ Pappas, Thanos (31 August 2021). "Lotus Teases Four New EV Models, Including Three SUVs And A Sportscar". Carscoops. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
- ^ Kinoti, Victor (9 February 2024). "2024 Lotus Eletre Price: Every Trim Compared". TopSpeed. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ Anderson, Brad (16 November 2021). "The Lotus Type 132 Electric SUV May Have A LiDAR Sensor". Carscoops. Retrieved 8 March 2022.