Lotus Begins Deliveries of the Eletre, Its High-Power Electric SUV with a 600km Range, in China and Plans for Global Expansion

The Geely subsidiary Lotus has commenced deliveries of its maiden electric SUV, Eletre, in China, with plans to expand to the UK and EU this year, and further into the world at an unspecified time, as part of its efforts to become a "truly global electric car brand".

The Eletre is a high-power electric SUV with a range of 600km, and the base model features a 450 kW drive with a 112 kWh battery. Additionally, the Eletre is capable of charging its battery from ten to 80 per cent in just 20 minutes at a fast-charging station.

According to the announcement, Lotus has received over 5,000 orders for the Eletre globally by the end of January 2023, and the testing of the electric SUV began in Germany in February of this year. The base model of the Eletre starts at £89,500 in the UK, while the Eletre S, with the same drive as the base model, is priced at £104,500. The range-topping Eletre R starts at prices of £120,000 and features a dual-motor powertrain that can accelerate from 0-62 mph in 2.95 seconds and hit a top speed of 165 mph.

The Eletre is equipped with "fully embedded L4-ready hardware with the world’s first deployable LiDAR system," according to the announcement. Lotus CEO Qingfeng Feng stated that "Eletre is a crucial part of our plan to transform Lotus into a truly global electric car brand. We are a pioneer in the decarbonization of luxury automobiles, and the delivery of Eletre has demonstrated our capability to lead the energy transition and steer the industry towards a more sustainable future."

Lotus has not yet provided any specific details on when and how the Eletre will be available for customers in the US and the rest of the world. Nonetheless, the first delivery of the Eletre in China is a notable event for the company.

Source: Lotus via PR Newswire