The right Lotus: Is this hyper SUV still true to the brand’s roots?

Once famous for “adding lightness”, Lotus now weighs in with its heaviest car ever – the all-electric Eletre hyper SUV. With over 900hp, futuristic tech and luxury finishes, it’s a radical departure from Colin Chapman’s kit-car beginnings. But is this what progress looks like?  Simon de Burton puts the Eletre to the test.

When Colin Chapman set up Lotus in an old stable block behind the Railway Hotel in Hornsey, north London, his goal was to manufacture small competition cars that customers could buy in kit form and build into economical racers.

The most celebrated of those DIY efforts was the Seven, which Chapman launched in 1957 as a road-legal car that club racers could build on a shoestring, then drive to and from the track to save on transport costs.

Almost as famous as the Seven was the oxymoronic mantra that Chapman espoused when designing his cars. “Add lightness,” he said, because less weight meant less work for a car’s engine, less wear on components, less fuel consumption and, above all, finer handling.

So what would Chapman make of the latest Lotus? It’s called the Eletre, and it weighs just over 2.5 tonnes – that’s the equivalent of more than five Lotus Sevens.

Instinct says he would have hated it – but would he really? Since Chapman’s death in 1982, Lotus has been through myriad changes and owners,  the most recent custodian being Chinese multinational Geely, which will offer only electric or petrol-electric Lotuses by 2028.

That fits in with the dramatic way the automotive world has changed since Chapman’s day, leading to Lotus becoming a marque that its founder might not even recognise were it not for the survival of the famous green and yellow logo he designed more than 70 years ago.

But as an engineer, designer, visionary and businessman (albeit something of a hustler in the latter department), Chapman would have understood the need for progress – and no one could deny that embracing electrification should ensure Lotus is still around to celebrate its centenary in 25 years’ time.

Its first electric model was the Emeya “super saloon” that went on sale last year as a direct competitor to the Porsche Taycan and established the template for the signature style of the maker’s battery-powered range, a style that has transitioned well to the Eletre, its first SUV.

Fitting into the crossover segment, the Chinese-built car features the coupé look that alludes to Lotus’s pure sporting roots. And despite its weight, that’s a heritage that the Eletre is more than capable of living up to because (like all of today’s larger electric cars) it is eye-wateringly fast in the acceleration department.

Lotus, in fact, calls the Eletre a hyper SUV thanks to the fact that – in top-of-the-range “R” form – it’s the fastest dual-motor SUV on the market, with its front- and rear-mounted drive systems producing more than 900 horsepower and catapulting the car’s substantial bulk to 100km/h in less than three seconds.

But the fact that the Eletre can go from A to B rapidly is only one part of the story; the other part is about the tech that enables it to do so and the luxury in which its occupants get to enjoy the ride.

Handling, therefore, is well up to Lotus standards and is helped by aerodynamic design touches that include dramatic “wings” that direct air towards a deployable rear spoiler, and a sophisticated air suspension system that, in most situations, makes for a plush and comfortable ride but could get choppy on more undulating surfaces.

In any event, ground can be covered remarkably fast despite the Eletre’s near-5.2-metre length and, thanks to its size, occupants never feel cramped.

Indeed, while Lotus cars of old were all about the driving experience, the Eletre is focused on getting from A to B in silent, electric-powered luxury.

The interior finish is exceptional with much devil in the detail (the speaker grilles for the KEF sound system are true works of art), while plenty of soft-touch material lends a hint of Lotus sportiness.

A sophisticated 15.1-inch infotainment screen has so many functions that it takes a while to learn, while more state-of-the art tech such as cameras and high-definition screens are used instead of reflective glass for both the door and rear-view mirrors.

Beautifully made, engine-turned levers control the cabin temperature and drive mode selection, while equally tactile metal switches activate the windows. Even the cup holders (small and large) have been engineered to sink gently into the centre console when required and rise to fit flush when not in use.

All of the above, of course, plays a part in the Eletre’s weight – and, while Lotus has managed to negate its effect on performance, range anxiety began to set in after little more than 322 kilometres of real-world driving. The good news, though, is that Lotus claims it can take as little as 20 minutes to sufficiently recharge the batteries to 80 per cent, enough (officially) for 400 kilometres of autonomy.

So, is the Eletre a Lotus? Probably only insofar as it carries the name. But no one, even Colin Chapman, could argue that it isn’t exactly as advertised – a fast, luxurious, beautifully built and confidence-inspiring “super SUV”. lotuscars.com

First published in the June 2025 issue of BOAT International. Get this magazine sent straight to your door, or subscribe and never miss an issue.