The British brand’s first SUV will feature an electric powertrain when it debuts on Tuesday
- 90-120kWh electric powertrain
- 0-62mph in less than three seconds
- Set to be revealed tomorrow
British sports car marque Lotus has revealed the name of its first SUV ahead of the official reveal on Tuesday, as the Lotus Eletre. This new model is set to adopt a fully-electric powertrain and will go on to rival other electric performance SUVs.
Patent images uncovered earlier this year give us a good idea of what the Eletre will look like. The angular design and raked roofline are somewhat reminiscent of the Lamborghini Urus SUV, while the Eletre’s slim headlights and a rear full-width light bar tie it in with other models in the range such as the new Lotus Emira sports car.
In keeping with the brand's racing heritage, the Lotus Eletre will incorporate various aerodynamic elements on the exterior to aid both performance and efficiency. Active shutters in the grille will be able to open and close to either manage cooling or improve aero. Slim wing mirror cameras, flush door handles and roof spoiler ‘winglets’ are all sure to further streamline this SUV.
Contrary to the brand’s founder, Colin Chapman’s philosophy of ‘Simplify, then add lightness’ – the Eletre will be one of Lotus’ most complex and heavy models yet, due to its electric powertrain. The Eletre will sit on the new Lotus ‘Premium Architecture’ electric underpinnings, allowing for battery sizes between 90 and 120kWh. There is also the possibility for ultra-fast 350kW charging capability; this should provide a full charge in around 15 minutes when connected to one of the handful of compatible public charges in the UK.
While official power figures are yet to be announced, Lotus claims that Premium Architecture cars will be able to achieve 0-62mph in less than three seconds – therefore putting the Eletre on par in terms of acceleration with the Tesla Model X Plaid.
Unlike Lotus’ traditional sports cars, the Eletre will not be built in the firm’s factory in Norfolk. Instead, new ‘lifestyle’ models will instead be constructed at a new £900 million factory in Wuhan, China.
Keyword: New Lotus Eletre SUV set for reveal tomorrow