Colin Chapman was a design engineering genius in motorsport who revolutionised Formula One in the 1960s. Many of his concepts and ideas were so advanced that they still form the fundamental principles on which F1 cars are conceived and designed.

Lotus Cars reflects Chapman’s motorsport vision: lighter, faster, better. But such a storied history does not guarantee enduring success, and the 74 year story of Lotus is filled with highs—and just as many lows.

Through it all, however, Lotus has endured. The romance of its history, its groundbreaking design and engineering philosophies, and its very foundations remain.

Today, Lotus is entering another revolution: the age of the electric vehicle. But the philosophy has shifted—adding weight can, in fact, make you faster. The Eletre EV is a manifestation of this new approach.

Over ten years ago, ex-Lotus CEO Danny Bahar was the first to explore the idea of a Lotus SUV, though many die-hard purists scoffed at the time. The presentation was, in fact, according to insiders at the time, partly a publicity stunt to generate interest and attract investors.

However, Bahar’s plan was real: to modernise Lotus under a five-year strategy. He was ousted before it could be implemented. Today, Lotus is under different ownership—Geely—and the company has invested heavily, ironically putting much of Bahar’s vision into place.

The Exterior

Let’s not overcomplicate it—it looks fantastic. One can clear see a great deal of time has been spent refining the aerodynamics. There are scoops and air ducts designed to channel airflow, reducing drag and minimising pressure build-up.

This technical approach gives the design a unique presence. The overall look works: it feels modern, yet clearly built for speed.

It also looks eye-catching in the two-tone heritage Lotus yellow, paired with a contrasting black roofline and black accents for a bold, graphical appearance.

Parked on my driveway, I’ll admit I often found myself standing by the bay window, taking a moment to appreciate it. And I wasn’t the only one looking—the bright yellow colour drew attention wherever I went, perhaps because many people still don’t realise that Lotus now makes an SUV.

It is a long car, just over 5 meters in length, but the proportions work so well that it tricks the eye into thinking it is one size smaller.

The Eletre is available in six trim levels in the UK, with prices currently starting at £84,990 for the entry level 600 and rising to £139,000 for the top-spec flagship 900 Sport Carbon performance edition.

The Interior

It’s very plush inside, exuding minimalist opulence. The Eletre’s interior is focused on luxury that exceeds the standards of the Mercedes S-Class and approaches levels associated with Bentley. It features leather, Alcantara, and real metal switchgear—you won’t mind spending time in slow, congested motorway traffic, city centres, or simply cruising.

The interior oozes first-class quality. The build is faultless, rock solid, it looks modern and feels like a truly classy place to spend time. That said, I still believe Lotus could take it up another level.

It’s also a light, airy cabin thanks to the fixed glass roof and a digitally dimmable blind, which filters light by changing the glass from transparent to opaque at the touch of a button via the infotainment system.

The Eletre is a large vehicle—just over 5 metres long—which means there is plenty of space for front and rear passengers, who also benefit from electrically reclining seats.

Indeed standard equipment is generous, and the offering improves as you move up the trim levels. See the spec sheet by clicking the highlighted link. Front or rear, legroom, elbow room, and space for child seats are all generous.

That length also allows for a long, wide boot, offering approximately 611 litres with the seats up and around 1,532 litres with them folded flat.

There is also underfloor storage and a small 46 litre frunk, just about large enough for the charging cable.

Infotainment System

The Eletre features a 15.1-inch OLED touchscreen powered by Lotus Hyper OS, with processing handled by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8155. In practical terms, this is a seriously high-end infotainment system that few manufacturers in Europe or the USA can match.

Like any modern infotainment system, it can be either intuitive or frustrating to use. Thankfully, the Eletre’s system is intuitive and fairly easy to navigate despite its extensive menus.

Heating controls are accessed via the touchscreen, though temperature can also be adjusted quickly using physical buttons on the centre console. Oddly I often forgot to use the physical controls, changing temperature via the touchscreen.

The driver has a horizontal 12.6-inch digital display, complemented by a head-up display. The passenger gets a similar 12.6-inch screen showing time, media, or weather.

I like how neatly everything is integrated—there are no oversized, intrusive screens, just the central 15.1-inch display, which doesn’t obstruct forward visibility.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are supported, but the native system is strong enough on its own, even including Spotify.

There’s also a 55W fast wireless charging pad and USB-Type C ports for front and rear passengers. The 15 speaker, 1,380 watt KEF sound system? faultless, organic purity.

Rear passengers also get a small touchscreen, primarily for adjusting temperature, activating heated seats, and controlling the front passenger seats when required.

The Drive

“Adding power makes you faster on the straights. Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere.”
— Colin Chapman

The Eletre weighs 2.6 tonnes, with the 112kWh battery pack alone weighing 665kg. Collin Chapman must be rolling in his resting place, but he need not worry because the Eletre defies physics.

Power comes from dual electric motors producing 603hp and 710Nm of torque. The 0–60mph time is almost irrelevant—It’s simply very fast—so fast it could quite possibly bend the very fabric of space-time itself. More impressive, however, is how the power is delivered: controlled savagery.

The delivery reminds me of the smoothness of a V8 with the lazy accessibility of a V12, but far better in every measurable way. It raises the question of why people still yearn for traditional engines when EV powertrains offer superior performance with fewer complications.

The Eletre is packed with advanced driver and safety aids. There are five drive modes, each varying in intensity, but all deliver serious performance. It has a split personality, being brutally fast, yet also smooth and progressive, thanks to a well-calibrated throttle pedal. In Sport mode, full acceleration is so intense and overwhelming the muscles in your eyes feel it. Yet there is minimal pitch under acceleration.

It rides on 22-inch Pirelli tyres and features front and rear multilink suspension setup, including active anti-roll control, active air suspension continuous damping control and rear wheel steering. The result is a vehicle that feels more like a lightweight sports car than a large SUV.

The steering is highly communicative, providing clear feedback. If understeer begins, you can feel it early and adjust accordingly, using regenerative braking via the steering-mounted paddles to serve as engine braking and pitch it back into line.

Cornering is exceptional, with minimal body roll. On twisty B-roads, the Eletre inspires confidence and encourages you to push harder.

On the motorway, it feels planted and secure. At 70mph, it feels almost effortless as if time is moving in slow motion, while at higher speeds the aerodynamics work to keep the Eletre stable and secure feeling totally unflustered at 100mph.

Overall, the ride and handling balances stiffness and comfort beautifully. The only weak point? Braking under heavy load the six-piston calliper brakes and lightweight discs offer good—but not quite exceptional—stopping power. Under normal everyday driving, they’re fine, but most of the time you’ll be using regenerative braking.

Efficiency

Range is very good. On a full charge, the 112kWh battery delivers up to 317 miles. Realistically, given how addictive the performance is, you’re more likely to see around 290 miles—though 300+ combined miles is achievable with by containing the enthusiastic driving.

The Eletre uses an 800V architecture, enabling ultra-fast charging at up to 350kW, allowing a 10–80% charge in around 20 minutes. It also includes a 22kW onboard charger for faster AC charging, achieving a full charge in under six hours.

In the UK, however, there are still relatively few ultra-fast chargers. While the network for fast charging (75kW-150kW) has improved significantly, issues such as faulty terminals remain. But year-by-year the situation is improving. Charging is much better than it was even two years ago.

That said, according to statistics, 90 percent of EV owners charge at home, and in that context, the Eletre’s range is more than sufficient. With improvements in battery technology and efficiency, one can expect 400–500 miles of real-world range when the next update arrives.

Epilogue

The Lotus Eletre is a revelation. It has a split personality: thrilling, intense and addictive when pushed, yet comfortable and refined when cruising. Its ride and handling make it feel like a car half its weight.

As an example, having driven the Porsche Cayenne Coupe Turbo GT, I would take the Lotus any day. The Eletre feels more complete—more capable, more engaging. The latest Cayenne EV costs twice the price, making the Eletre an absolute bargain—for the class of people able to afford it.

The Eletre, it’s like picking up a brilliantly written novel and not putting it down until reaching the end of the story—then immediately reaching for the sequel.

Thank you, V6. Thank you, V8. Thank you, V12. You had your time, and you were magnificent. But you were complex, and while your sound was unforgettable, the EV powertrain delivers a purer, more immediate driving experience.

The Eletre… blimey what a car. A true Lotus in every sense?