Jaw-dropping quarter-million dollar EV makes NZ debut

Wednesday, 13 September 2023

The Eletre is set to play a crucial role in Lotus’ rebirth as a fully electric brand.

Lotus, traditionally a manufacturer of tiny uncompromising sports cars, is changing. Its latest model, a fully electric SUV that’s just arrived in New Zealand, is about as different from the brand’s iconic cars of yesterday as possible. And, this week Stuff was able to see it up close for the first time.

The Eletre is a watershed model for Lotus. It’s both the British brand’s first SUV and its first fully electric model to go on sale. It might seem like a bit of a weird pivot, but for those who’ve been keeping up it was an inevitability.

It might look a little conventional on first glance, but the Eletre’s bodywork gets more interesting the longer you look at it.

The Eletre is the latest in a long line of luxury performance SUVs that have been introduced by carmakers better known for their sports and supercars. Lamborghini, Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, and Maserati all have SUVs in their stable. Lotus is, or was, one of the final holdouts.

As reported previously, the Eletre is underpinned by some enormous numbers. The ‘standard’ Eletre and Eletre S come with a 450kW/710Nm dual-motor single-speed powertrain that can send the almost 2.5-tonne behemoth to 100kph in 4.5 seconds.

The Eletre’s cabin is highly polished, and full of neat details and notable materials.

There’s an even more potent Eletre R version, too, packing 675kW/985Nm, a two-speed transmission, and a 0–100kph time of 2.95 seconds – making it a quicker beast than the likes of the Lamborghini Urus Performante and Aston Martin DBX707. It’s a shade slower than the Model X Performance. But, that accomplishes its speed with an extra motor, and is no longer on sale Down Under.

The 112kWh battery is rated for 600km of range in the Eletre and Eletre S, shrinking to a still commendable 490km in the more powerful Eletre R. There are other electric SUVs that can get similar range from smaller batteries, but few are as quick or as big as the Lotus. At 5105mm long and 2231mm wide, it is longer and wider than a Toyota Land Cruiser. You can almost fit an Elan within its 3019mm wheelbase.

A rectangular portal above each front wheel conceals a retractable Lidar sensor.

The standard Eletre S starts at $265,000 without options. But that price vaults upwards rather quickly once you start ticking a few option boxes. This particular car’s black paintjob and 23-inch multi-spoke diamond-turned wheels add $3,184 and $8,624 to the price. If you like all the carbon fibre exterior trimmings, you’ll need to pay an extra $24,145. Massage seats, $5,307. Intelligent glass roof, $4,645. Lotus ‘Dynamic Handling Pack’, $17,511. All up, this Eletre as it sits is a $345,528 car.

That’s all the main boring number stuff covered. What else is there to the Eletre? As it happens, there’s quite a lot to talk about.

Dive into the serious tech behind the Lotus Eletre.

Let’s start with the body. The sculpted SUV bodywork might seem mostly conventional. But there’s actually quite a lot of moving parts to it … literally. The Eletre features numerous active, actuating elements all over the place.

The Lidar sensors in the front guards and in the middle of the roof pop out or retract depending on whether they’re in use (the rearward Lidar sensor that sits within the bifurcated roof spoiler is permanent).

There’s active aero at both ends – the rear wing slides out on request, and the front grille’s triangle-shaped covers open and close (open helps with cooling, closed helps with aerodynamics and range) via a satisfying, almost origami-like process.

Full of Lotus’ triangle design motif, the Eletre’s grille can fold open and closed depending on whether you’re wanting performance or range.

Lotus has also tapped its big aero brain with regard to how it sculpted the Eletre’s panels. There are countless channels and vents for air in curious places. Apertures between the headlights lead to a gaping channel for air to flow through over the bonnet, a channel you can clearly see daylight through. There’s also exit vents behind both pairs of wheels.

In black and indoors, it’s tough to come to a verdict on the Eletre’s looks in the metal. Its lengthy rear overhang is quite unique relative to other EV fare, and all those vents and contours make it look quite busy in patchy indoor light. I’d love to see one in a bright colour parked in the sun.

The textured, knurled switches feel fabulous in hand.

It’s known that Lotus has been working hard for a while now on improving its interiors. The recently launched Emira is an excellent example of how far the brand has come. But, the Eletre is in another dimension.

There’s plenty of technology to talk about inside, but I’d rather start by talking about the quality of everything. All of the surfaces that look like metal, are, and that includes the beautifully knurled switchgear. The finish of the knurled sides is fantastic, and each switch feels damped to perfection, making a satisfying sharp ‘click’ or reassuring ‘clunk’ when pressed. The glossy carbon finish looks fantastic, too. It ought to, I suppose, it’s another one of those expensive options.

The thin digital cluster manages to pack a lot of information into a small space.

The attention to detail is such that Lotus has even put ample effort into the electric seat adjustment panel on the flank of each front seat – a panel that most owners will never actually see when they use it.

It, too, gets knurled switches on a glossy carbon-fibre backdrop. I also appreciated that the inside of the tailgate and the full parcel shelf are generously lined with the same suede and plush carpet as the rest of the boot. No stone has been left unturned it seems.

There’s four screens in the Eletre; the main 15.1-inch touchscreen, a slimline digital cluster and passenger-side display, and a rear touchscreen for those in the second row. I admire the choice to go with smaller supporting screens up front as it helps underline this as being more of a focused ‘driver’s car’ than merely being a big piece of tech on wheels.

Welcome to the most fussy electric seat adjustment panel in the car world.

Rear legroom is good, which isn’t a surprise given the Eletre’s lengthy wheelbase.

Those in the back seat get a centrally mounted touchscreen for climate and infotainment adjustment.

The Eletre gets a frunk up front, although it isn’t especially large.

Those wanting to see the Eletre in person can do so at this weekend’s Starship Supercar Show.

The green callipers are a worthy no-cost option.

A long rear overhang gives the Eletre a fairly deep 688L boot.

Its static rear spoiler at the top of the tailgate is parted by a big Lidar sensor.

The racy, squared-off steering wheel teases the Eletre’s performance chops.

Activating Sport mode triggers the Eletre’s air suspension to lower.

There’s interesting thinking to be found all over the cockpit. The cup holders in the centre console, for example, can pop back out to sit flush with the trim if you don’t happen to need them at a given moment.

The paddles are a bit different, too. The left side deals with adjusting the strength of your regenerative braking, and the right side cycles you through the car’s different drive modes.

Film and video game nerds will appreciate that a good chunk of the Eletre’s infotainment system runs on Unreal Engine for its 3D modelling and graphics. The image of the Eletre on the homepage is fully interactive. Perhaps the greatest show-offy gimmick of them all in the Lotus is how if you put your windows down, the windows also go down on the interactive 3D model.

And the tech wizardry still continues. All of those big aforementioned Lidar sensors mean this is about as close to a Level 4 autonomous vehicle as there is in New Zealand. And audiophiles will appreciate the 1380W KEF sound system – one of several notable pieces of kit that comes standard across the Eletre line-up alongside the Nappa leather upholstery, active aero, and double-glazed glass.

It’s safe to say that the Eletre is an impressive thing. So far, local orders are in the single digits. Not entirely surprising given the Eletre’s pricing and luxury positioning. Expect those order figures to increase as local exposure to the model grows.

Speaking of which, those wanting to see the Eletre up close will be able to at this weekend’s Starship Supercar Show at Giltrap Group’s multi-storey Great North Road site. Lotus Auckland will also host a public viewing on Septmber 23 at its premises, also on Great North Road.

Bonus images