Summary
The Lotus Eletre is a large luxury electric SUV with supercar levels of powerful performance that became available to order in the UK in Autumn 2023.
Described by its manufacturer as a ‘hyper-SUV’, the Eletre marks a brave step into the unfamiliar waters for Lotus – a marque that has exclusively focused on developing sports cars since the 1950s. “The Eletre is nothing like anything we’ve ever seen before from the British brand”, says Tom Jervis of Driving Electric, “but it’s a triumphant success regardless.”
Parker’s Georg Kacher remarks that the Eletre has joined the ranks of the super-fast, desirable electric SUVs available in the UK, and “it’s at or near the top of the class”, thanks to its well-built and “beautifully trimmed” interior, its “addictive” driving experience and it’s price bracket, which is still expensive but cheaper than many of it’s high-power competitors.
The Telegraph‘s Andrew English adds that the SUV’s “astounding level of performance and great handling” does not compromise the comfortable ride quality, while Carbuyer‘s Andy Goodwin says that the car’s infotainment system “looks absolutely fantastic.”
On the other hand, reviewers note that the price tag is still quite high and the running costs might be more expensive than you would expect. The car’s heavy weight and size will also make driving in tight urban spots more difficult.
As of December 2023, the Lotus Eletre holds an Expert Rating of 76%, based on 11 reviews from the British motoring media. This is a brand-new model, however, so this rating could fluctuate up or down by a few points as more reviews are published in the coming months.
Eletre highlights
- Thrilling performance
- Responsive brakes and steering
- Well-built, luxurious interior
- Cheaper than ‘hyper-SUV’ rivals…
Eletre lowlights
- Smaller boot in four-seat guise
- Very heavy
- ‘Sport’ mode almost too aggressive for some
- …but still quite expensive
Key specifications
Body style: Large SUV
Engines: electric, battery-powered
Price: From £89,500 on-road
Launched: Autumn 2023
Last updated: N/A
Replacement due: TBA
Image gallery
Reviews, road tests and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.
Model reviewed:
Score: 9 / 10
“It’s not a Lotus in the traditional sense, but the Eletre is a new kind of car for the firm, for a new kind of world. And mostly it works an absolute treat. It’s as entertaining to drive as it is high in quality, both inside and out. Dynamically, it’s as sharp as any conventional competitor from Lamborghini, Porsche, you name it – and at not dissimilar money. This is a great new car from Lotus, no mistake.”
Author: Steve Sutcliffe
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Model reviewed:
Score: 8 / 10
“The Lotus Eletre feels like an EV first and a Lotus not at all. At first, the fact that it could wear any number of badges bothered me. After a day, not so much. Test it for what it is, not what I think it should be. And I don’t suppose that will worry Lotus either. The perfect car for Lotus isn’t some idealised sports car, it’s a car people want to buy. With this extremely capable SUV, the company probably has that.” (Matt Prior)
Read review
Model reviewed:
Score: 8 / 10
“After storming down a runway with launch control assist in not quite a straight line yields a momentary top speed of 155mph in the blink of an eye, the Lotus Eletre’s truly ballistic 50-75mph acceleration in just under two seconds is even more mind-boggling.”
Author: Georg Kacher
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Score: 8.4 / 10
“A big electric SUV from Lotus sounds like it shouldn’t work, but somehow, it really does.”
Author: Andy Goodwin
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Score: 9 / 10
“The Lotus Eletre is nothing like we’ve ever seen before from the British brand, but is a triumphant success regardless.”
Author: Tom Jervis
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Score: 9 / 10
“Lotus’ all-electric SUV might be a departure from the company’s lightweight sportscar roots, but it’s hugely sophisticated. It’s by no means cheap, but looks good value for the performance and sophistication on offer.”
Author: Mike Askew
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Model reviewed:
Score: 8 / 10
“The Lotus Eletre is an easy vehicle to admire, but a harder one to love, at least for this old-fashioned Lotus diehard. Yet it’s also exactly what the company needs, to survive in this brave new electrified world and, like a certain marque from Stuttgart, generate the profits to continue building brilliant sports cars. An electric saloon and a smaller SUV will soon follow, but the Eletre seems a promising start. And a reason for genuine optimism.” (Tim Pitt)
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Score: 8 / 10
“The Lotus Eletre is a very capable new entry into the ranks of the super-fast, desirable electric SUVs, and on the basis of our first drive, it’s at or near the top of the class. Yes, it’s a bit of an unknown compared with a BMW or Mercedes, but it’s made a big splash. If it’s well-made and reliable and the dealer network backs this up, it could be a contender.”
Author: Georg Kacher
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Model reviewed: Eletre S
“You have to hope that the sheer excellence of the Lotus Eletre – because it is a breathtakingly good car in very many ways – will provide even the most ardent traditionalists with at least some source of joy. Even if it does happen to be an overweight SUV that makes no noise at all.” (Steve Sutcliffe)
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Model reviewed: Eletre S
Score: 8 / 10
“The Lotus Eletre S is spectacularly good, with an astounding level of performance and great handling, but not at the cost of ride quality. I might take issue with the digital dashboard and don’t really trust all those “jam-tomorrow” features, but my main concern is the willing suspension of disbelief required to agree that a 600bhp, 160mph SUV is entirely appropriate family transport.” (Andrew English)
Read review
Score: 8 / 10
“Though this isn’t a familiar Lotus, the Eletre is a very competent attempt at applying Lotus philosophy to a seemingly incongruous product.”
Author: Tom Ford
Read review
Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
No safety rating
As of December 2023, the Lotus Eletre has not been crash tested by Euro NCAP. Due to its price and exclusivity, it’s not likely to happen in the near future either.
Eco rating
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
As of December 2023, the Lotus Eletre has not been lab tested by Green NCAP.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of December 2023, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Lotus Eletre to generate a reliability rating.
The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using workshop and extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy, sourced from both official dealerships and independent workshops.
As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the Eletre, we’ll publish the score here.
Running cost rating
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
No data yet
As of December 2023, we don’t have independently verified data available for the Lotus Eletre. Check back again soon.
Awards
Trophies, prizes and awards that the Lotus Eletre has received.
2023
- GQ Magazine Awards – Best SUV
2022
- What Car? Electric Awards – Reader Award
Similar cars
If you’re looking at the Lotus Eletre, you might also be interested in these alternatives.
Aston Martin DBX | Audi RS Q8 | BMW iX | Maserati Levante | Ferrari Purosangue | Kia EV9 | Porsche Cayenne | Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo
More information
More news, reviews and information about the Lotus Eletre at The Car Expert
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