Lotus Eletre Review: Performance Brand’s Debut Car In India Driven

Lotus a brand that has made many iconic sports cars in more than 7 decades of its existence. The company went through some uncertain periods in between and the ownership too changed hands a few times but what remained constant was the endeavour to produce cars which were fast to drive and equally beautiful to look at. The Eletre is trying to take that legacy forward in but in a slightly unique way. First, it is an SUV and second, it is electric, and it is aiming at the lifestyle market going beyond just pleasing the enthusiasts. The brand recently made its India debut with this car, and we got to experience what this EV has to offer. 

Design

The wheelbase of 3019 mm on Eletre is pretty long. 

The Eletre is more than 5 meters long and more than 2 meters wide, so it is quite big. The design is really aggressive and appealing especially on the face. This includes the twin lamp setup on the face with the DRLs and the Matrix LED headlamps. Then you see a lot of ducts present on the bonnet, near the front wheels and even on the rear. The idea is to give you a car that is as aerodynamic as possible. In line with that, you also have the flaps on the grille that open to give provide cooling inside. There are six exterior colours to choose from including the Galloway Green you see in pictures which looks quite nice with carbon fibre finish all over in the top-spec R version we got to test.

Also Read: Lotus Makes India Entry, Launches Eletre E-SUV At Rs 2.55 Crore

The rear gets connecting lights and the twin spoilers. 

22-inch wheels come as standard on the SUV, but you also have the option of choosing 20 or 23-inch ones. Cool features like flush door handles, frameless doors and a soft close function add to the premium appeal of the car. Towards the C-pillar, there’s a sloping roofline which also makes it look quite attractive. The rear gets connecting lights and the twin spoilers are unique as well as functional. You also have an active spoiler that deploys itself in multiple levels depending on the speed of the SUV. This 22-inch wheels version comes with a standard ground clearance of 194 mm.

Tech & Interior

Seats are made of environmentally friendly alternatives to leather.

Lotus is portraying the Eletre as a lifestyle SUV which is unlike many of its cars we’ve seen in the past, that means the cabin has to get a lot of luxury and features and that is exactly the case here. The seats and the materials used are of extremely high quality, really plush and comfortable as well. You don’t get leather on them but what Lotus says is a “state-of-the-art” alternative that is environmentally friendly, odour-free, and lasts longer than genuine leather. Along with that 100% recycled and 100% recyclable fibre has been used in the carpets and boot liners. The electric seats in the front row can be set in 12 different ways and also get massage buttons. You can also choose from various interior themes to give the car a little more exclusivity. 

Also Read: Lotus Emira India Launch Confirmed For 2024

Cabin of the Eletre is big on new-age tech.

A highlight in the cabin is the big 15.1-inch HD touchscreen, which has great quality and fantastic response. Even in bright sunlight, it's easily readable and most of the features are controlled only through the unit. There are not too many physical buttons in the cabin which may not be of everyone’s liking. The system is compatible with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and is connected to a 23-speaker KEF audio system in this top R version. It is paired with Dolby Atmos making it the first car in the world to get this combination. Lotus Hyper OS borrows tech from the gaming industry and the user Interface creates real-time 3D content, making the car akin to a gadget. Finally, the ‘Hi Lotus’ voice command gives you access to a lot of in-cabin features.

The octagonal shape of the steering wheel is one of many quirky bits in the cabin. 

There are two individual screens, including one for the driver which is the digital cluster. It is quite unique looking at its slim design while you also get a big HUD which provides a lot of information. The third screen is exclusively for the front passenger, it is touch-enabled and can be used to access multimedia. Other features include a wireless charger, 4-zone climate control, a glass roof whose opacity can be set, cup holders with pop-up inserts and an electric glove box. The octagonal shape of the steering wheel is another quirky bit of the car and might take some time to get used to. The buttons on the wheel are of extremely high quality and overall you get a premium experience sitting on the first row of the Lotus Eletre. 

Also Read: Lotus Introduces New 450 kW DC Charger For EV Lineup

We got to sample the standard 5-seater version of the SUV.

There’s a lot of space on the second row as well and the seats also offer great under thing support. The recline works electrically, and there’s a touchscreen which can be used to access many controls. We got to sample the standard 5-seater version of the SUV, where three people can comfortably sit on the second row, but if you want even more luxury there’s the optional 4-seater executive version which has a fixed permanent centre armrest with a pop-up tablet, and you also get massage seats which are missing on the 5-seater version. The Eletre comes with a boot space of 688 litres which is quite generous while you also get a small Frunk which can be used to store the charger. 

Dynamics

For now, only the top-spec R is available for bookings in India. 

The Eletre doesn’t have a start-stop button inside the cabin, so you just unlock the car and enter, engage the Drive mode and start moving. The SUV has come to India in 3 different versions – the Eletre, Eletre S and the Eletre R, but for now, it is only the top-spec R that is available for bookings. This is the variant where you get the best performance, maximum power of approximately 900 bhp and a peak torque figure of 985 Nm, yes you read that right and this in an EV where all the torque is available right from the word go. Press the throttle and the car is ready to just take off, 0-100 kmph is achieved in just 2.95 seconds along with a top speed of 265 kmph and what you get is the fastest dual-motor pure electric SUV in the world.

Also Read: Lotus Reveals 592bhp All-Electric Eletre SUV

The Eletre has come with a maximum range of 600 kms. 

On the R version, you get a claimed range of 490 kms on a single charge but if that’s not enough for you the other 2 variants will come with a maximum range of 600 kms. However, all run on the same 112 kWh battery that goes from 10-80 % in just 20 mins using a fast charger. You get a 22kW on-board AC charger as standard which will go from 0-100 per cent in less than six hours. 

All-new Electric Premium Architecture (EPA) has ensured great aerodynamics.

Aerodynamics is always a big question mark when it comes to EVs looking at the placement of the batteries, and how the car has been designed, its shape, size and weight. On the Eletre you get a drag co-efficient of just 0.26, which for a crossover SUV is a fantastic figure. It helps in keeping the car supremely stable and when you’re driving out on highways at high speeds there’s good traction and stability. This gives you a lot more confidence as a driver and even while turning even at high speeds that confidence is maintained. The all-new Electric Premium Architecture (EPA) has ensured that batteries are packed between the axles and beneath the floor to lower the centre of gravity and this has also helped in better cabin space which adds to the comfort. 

The ride height can be increased by between 15 mm and 25 mm. 

Talking about comfort you get loads of it in the Eletre. This car comes with adaptive variable suspension that ensures that even if the road quality turns bad your experience will not suffer doesn’t matter if you’re sitting in the front row or the back row. Based on speed the suspension is lowered by up to 25 mm to reduce drag and also helps in improving range. The ride height can also be increased by between 15 mm and 25 mm to ensure better off-road capability if needed. This is also the first time that a Lotus gets an electromechanical power steering, which is more relaxed, but it does not take away the sportiness of the entire experience. You still get good feedback and great traction which you’ll enjoy while driving the car.

Drive modes can be changed using the right paddle shift. 

There are as many as 6 driving modes on the Eletre, yes the R version gets a sixth ‘Track’ mode as well, which we were not able to evaluate as we were driving on public roads. The other 5 modes give you more range, sportiness or comfort depending on the requirement. There’s an individual mode as well that you can choose so settings of a lot of things in the car change to give you the desired drive which is really nice. The good thing is that the drive modes can be changed through the right paddle shifters which is very convenient. There are multiple levels of regeneration as well, which can be chosen using the left paddle shifter. This also includes single pedal driving which just helps in extracting a little extra range.

The SUV has also come with a single pedal driving feature.

Until a few years back electrics and performance cars never went hand-in-hand but that’s been changing significantly over the last few years, auto majors have been making a lot of efforts and the Lotus Eletre is a prime example of that. Of course this is an EV so what you miss is the engine sound and due to silent drive, some bit of noise from outside comes into the cabin. You expect a slightly better insulation looking at the cost and segment of this vehicle.

Safety

The SUV gets 8 airbags in all.

The Eletre is the first production car in the world to get Autonomous Level 4 LIDAR technology, which is still not allowed in a lot of countries including India. As and when regulations allow it will be a notable feature to have on the vehicle, especially out on the highways. It also comes with software updates so as and when the features get added the car will automatically get them to continuously make your drive and of course the whole experience a lot safer. A clever feature is that the sensors mounted at the top of the windscreen and front wheel arches remain hidden when not in use. In addition to this two Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) packs are also available. 

Price & Verdict

Eletre is an ideal launchpad for the brand in the Indian market. 

The Lotus Eletre starts at Rs. 2.55 crore ex-showroom while the top R is priced at Rs. 2.99 crore. The big question is does it justify the Lotus badge? Well while on the move it really feels like a high-performance ICE vehicle and you love it as a driver, but it also indulges you with the tech and luxury it offers. It just changes the way the world has looked at Lotus for decades and seems like a perfect launchpad for the brand in the Indian market. The brand has pledged to become all-electric by 2028 and the Eletre is perfectly capable of leading the way.