I recently had the pleasure of test driving the new Lotus Eletre, kindly supplied by Dorset Chamber Business Partner’s, Hendy. The Eletre is Lotus’s first fully electric SUV and is like no other Lotus produced before. There are three models, the Eletre, Eletre S and Eletre R. I drove the Eletre, and both this model and the Eletre S produce just over 600bhp and a 0-62 time of 4.5 seconds with a top speed of 160mph.
The Eletre R produces a mind-blowing 900bhp and a 0-62 time of under 3 seconds. Absolutely incredible performance from all models given the car weighs 2,500 kilos and has an official range of 373 miles.
On collecting the car, my first impression was this is a big car. With enormous wheels and at 5.1 metres long and in the striking colour of Solar Yellow, it really makes a statement and is like no other Lotus you have seen before with a muscular, yet aerodynamic look, and a drag coefficient of 0.26. The car also makes maximum use of opportunities for airflow with numerous vents in the body. It’s a hugely impressive looking car and caught the eye of many as I drove the car for a couple of days.
The car has numerous sensors (actually 34) and cameras positioned around it. This provides first class camera vision when reversing (as well as an amazing aerial perspective) and enables many safety features such as lane detection, nearby pedestrians and approaching vehicles on the satnav.
As you walk up to the car with the space age key in your pocket, it automatically unlocks and out pop the flush door handles. Its interior is luxurious and comfortable with stunning trim throughout. It has a wide room cabin and there’s plenty of space both in the front and back with a 688 litre boot. In the front is a 15.1 inch touchscreen, which essentially is the nerve centre for the car, absolutely full of technology from safety settings, alerts, navigation, to driving modes, sound, lighting and climate control. It’s a very comfortable driving position. Sound is provided by a fantastic KEF system.
The rear is extremely spacious with a huge amount of legroom. The rear seats can also be electronically independently moved. One great feature is the rear touchscreen where rear passengers can adjust both their seats, the front seats as well as heating and music. Your rear passengers will be extremely comfortable, that is for sure.
Once you are in the car, it’s ready to go immediately. Put into drive and you are off. As a driver of a combustion engine vehicle, I’m still not used to the lack of sound with an EV and struck by the silence when moving. As soon as you move, you feel the seat belts tighten up around you. The car is extremely smooth with very sure-footed handling, a huge achievement for a car of this size and weight (helped by the car batteries).
The car is very smooth and comfortable at low speeds. Bearing in mind this is the least quick Eletre, acceleration is absolutely fantastic with 0-60 in under 5 seconds, enough to put you back in your seat – and it just keeps on going and going (up to 160mph which of course I did not test). I just cannot imagine how quick the Eletre R must feel. Acceleration is completely constant which is what you expect from an EV and incredible for a car of this size and weight. This is a quick car with performance that suits its looks. I was also impressed with the range after a few days of driving as we know that official figures and reality can differ with EV’s.
So in summary this is a very exciting new SUV from Lotus with incredible looks, fantastic performance with a very comfortable drive that utilises the latest technology. If the Eletre is anything to go by, the next cars in the Lotus range should equally excite.
Ian Girling, Chief Executive, Dorset Chamber
www.hendy.co.uk