Key Points
- Lotus to unveil Eletre on March 30 Australian time
- SUV will be the brand’s first-ever electric vehicle
- Active aerodynamics previously confirmed as a standard feature
UPDATE, March 28, 2022: Just under 48 hours away from its official reveal, Lotus has announced the name of its first-ever SUV – Eletre.
An all-electric, high-riding four-door, it’s a drastic departure from the lightweight sports cars Lotus is known for – but, with the automotive landscape moving away from internal combustion engines, now is the time for Colin Chapman’s company to make the switch.
While patent images have already shown us what the Eletre will look like on the outside, its reveal on March 30 at 5:30 AM, AEDT, is set to give us a closer look at what might be the most important Lotus model in modern times.
The story to here
March 1, 2022: Lotus has locked in a date for the launch of its first-ever SUV, announcing it will take the covers off the Type 132 on March 29.
First teased late last year, the SUV is not only Lotus’s first departure from its main business of building sports cars, but also signifies the beginning of a new era – becoming the British manufacturer’s debut electric vehicle.
From the latest teaser video shown, we can see it features a narrow, wrap-around light at the rear end – unlike anything in the brand’s current catalogue – while previous information (below) has demonstrated the Type 132’s active aerodynamics.
Customers in the United Kingdom can reserve their own SUV for a £2000 ($3700) fee.
November 22, 2021: The upcoming Lotus electric SUV will be unveiled in the second quarter of 2022.
The latest update from Lotus has revealed the new model will make its debut in the northern hemisphere’s spring – our autumn.
Since the first teaser was shown earlier this month, Lotus has released a handful of shadowy videos previewing features of the ‘Type 132’.
Along with the grille shutters, the vehicle will also feature an active rear wing, expected to deploy for improved rear traction, or retract to reduce drag.
Perhaps the most interesting feature is the addition of Lidar – a type of roof-mounted laser radar, which can be used in conjunction with autonomous driving technology. The addition of Lidar suggests the Lotus will launch with an advanced self-driving system, likely at a Level Three or higher.
Expect more teaser videos to be released in the lead up to the Type 132’s unveiling in Q2.
The original story continues unchanged below.
November 10: Lotus has given a glimpse of its first SUV, showing off the vehicle’s active aerodynamics.
The electric full-size SUV, codenamed Type 132, is due to be unveiled next year – with the expectation the new Lotus will be a direct competitor to the future battery-powered Porsche Cayenne.
In a teaser video titled ‘Breathe’, the Lotus SUV electric vehicle shows off its active grille shutter system, allowing the vehicle to adjust aerodynamics and air cooling.
While details have yet to be outlined, expect a 0-100km/h sprint time as low as three seconds – with Autocar reporting two variants offering approximately 450kW and 560kW, from 92kWh and 120kWh battery packs respectively.
Its 800-volt charging system could see batteries refilled to 80 per cent in around 20 minutes.
Slated to be built in China, the BMW X5-sized Lotus may not have been what company founder Colin Chapman had in mind, but the carbon-fibre appears to show the Type 132 will at least attempt to follow the brand’s ethos of reducing weight.
The electric Lotus SUV is expected to be unveiled in 2022.
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Keyword: Lotus Eletre announced: 'Type 132' SUV now has a name