Having driven a fair number of electric cars, I thought they were fast but often lacked the fun quotient that a combustion-engined car brings you. However, the Lotus Eletre SUV is somewhat different and alarmingly so. This EV is so fast that me and my cameraman had to stop between our acceleration runs since the performance is so strong that you need to take a breather. To put into context, this 2.5-tonne SUV rockets to 100 km/h in under 3 seconds- that's teleporting from one place to another. However, this hyper SUV goes beyond fast and feels more like a supercar on stilts which separates itself from the rest.
Lotus has also been a 'different' carmaker as till now it has only made sports cars and has a rich history in doing so. That said, in the current market scenario, you need an SUV to be successful and that is exactly what new owner Geely has done with the Eletre. It is a ground-up electric SUV but fitted with insane amounts of power and technology.
The Eletre is also huge but drops jaws in terms of its visual appeal. The electric architecture has helped designers have free will on the looks and the Eletre has a 'cab-forward' design that echoes the iconic mid-engined layout of Lotus sports cars. What is also typical of supercars is the aero efficiency that has been prioritised with vents/ducts and slashes all over the car.
The Eletre is also sharp looking and also very wide along with a sloping roofline which also has an active rear spoiler. Look closer and you will also see LIDAR, which is basically “Light Detection and Ranging" and is an advanced form of autonomous driving-way above anything available although whether higher autonomy would ever be allowed on our roads is indeed a question. That said, no surprise that it quickly drew a crowd everywhere we went.
You get in the Eletre with a tap on the door with the key card or the uniquely shaped key- it's not some worthless hunk of plastic here. The interior though is surprising because it is a breath of fresh air while also drawing your attention. The 15.1-inch screen drops down to greet you and then you see the slim info panel which stretches across the entire width of the dash. The detailing is plush and you have real metal switchgear, sustainable materials and whatnot. The touchscreen is slick and the visuals are very futuristic while the audio system with 15 speakers (23 optional) is epic too.
There are all of the features that you hope for but I liked the heads-up display the most while our test car had a glass roof plus the rear occupants also got a dedicated controller. The electric architecture also means huge space at the back although we would have liked more thigh support for the seats.
For a company known for sportscars, the Eletre is practical and has a huge boot as well. To drive you get in and the Eletre silently creeps ahead. There is no fake noise or anything but the Eletre is surprisingly comfortable on the standard modes including range. Here, it is easy to drive with a linear throttle and the steering is light too. We must mention that the ground clearance is excellent and you will not have problems driving it over some bad roads. While the ride is a bit on the firm side due to the huge 22-inch wheels, this is a perfectly usable car with only its width being something you need to take care of.
An all-new 800v dedicated electric vehicle architecture and a dual motor layout bring in either 600bhp and 600km range while the one we have here is the Eletre R which is 905bhp and 985Nm. This is the fastest EV and when put in Sport or Track mode, it really shows what it is capable of. Unless provoked, the Eletre is docile but when driven in the faster mode, it is basically another car altogether.
As said earlier, acceleration is simply crazy fast and addictive while it comfortably beats anything out there with a petrol engine. Along with the speed, the grip and the stability are also impressive and all of that weight is neatly put down. A crucial bit is the 2-speed transmission which brings in a driving experience which is more fun over the usual EVs we have driven. Amongst all of this, the range, if driven hard, will go down from the claimed nearly 500km.
At Rs 3cr, the Eletre R is fast, fun and a completely different take on what an electric car or even a high-performance car should be. That makes it stand out amongst the crowded luxury car space and above all it is the sheer speed which is simply addictive.
What we like- Performance, looks, quality, space, driving experience, features
What we do not like- Range could be more, expensive
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