Lotus Eletre (2025) Review

Introduction

For so many small businesses in the UK, survival is the name of the game, and Lotusis, sadly, no exception. The company with such a glorious motorsport history is having to make big changes to keep its head above water, and perhaps the boldest example of that is the new Eletre.

A massive, hulking performance SUV, it’s a far cry from the lightweight sports cars envisioned by Lotus founder Colin Chapman, and the brand fanatics are incensed. Well, being mostly British, they grumble into their cups of tea, but you get the idea. This is a very big culture shift for such a storied company, so can the Eletre win friends and influence people enough to change the narrative, and can it keep Lotus in business?

At a Glance

If you’re used to Lotuses of old — the Exige, Elise and Evora, for example — you’re going to find the Eletre is quite a departure from the norm. It’s unmistakably an SUV, but it’s a sporty one, so though it sits high above the ground the roofline is remarkably swoopy and low. The bodywork is wide and aggressive, too, adding to the impression of intent.

Inside, on the other hand, the Eletre feels much more luxury-orientated than Lotus products we’ve seen before. The stylish interior has some cool tech and it’s all wrapped in very premium materials, while the switchgear feels premium and works beautifully.

Although the Eletre is only offered in electric form, those concerned about range anxiety should get some comfort from the fact the battery has a 112kWh capacity that far outstrips most other electric vehicles, offering almost double the capacity of a basic Skoda Enyaq. That means the official figures suggest it’ll do up to 373 miles on a charge in its least powerful form.

But everything is relative, and even the basic Eletre is hardly short of punch. With 612hp, the basic Eletre 600 gets from 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds, and it’ll do more than 150mph. And the most powerful 900 model has 918hp, getting it to 62mph in less than three seconds.

And that performance is combined with impressive handling. The Eletre is big and heavy, and it can’t hide those fundamental characteristics, but it still steers, corners and rides very tidily indeed. With great body control and sharp steering, it’s certainly one of the leading sports SUVs on the market when it comes to excitement, but you can’t expect it to be as agile as some sportier Lotuses.

Key Features

Lotus made its name by keeping things light – indeed, Colin Chapman’s philosophy was to simplify and add lightness – but the Eletre is not light. Instead, it has a massive (and very heavy) 112kWh battery that allows it to cover well over 300 miles on the official economy test, and much more than 200 in the real world. It isn’t quite the range you might hope for, but it’s as good as the range in a Porsche Macan or an Audi SQ8 e-tron, and that’ll be enough to keep customers happy. Especially with the promise of rapid charging.

But that weight has allowed Lotus to turn the Eletre into a very luxurious SUV that’s impeccably made, with lovely materials, switchgear that feels nice and solid and even some smart technology. But the feel of the cabin, from the split paddles behind the steering wheel to the cup holders that softly rise and fall in the centre console, is immaculate, and it’s one of the nicest cabins we’ve sampled in years. Bet the Lotus drivers of old didn’t see that one coming…

Range & Batteries

Although the Eletre range is quite large, every version uses the same 112kWh battery, of which 109kWh is usable. That’s quite a big power pack – the enormously long-range Audi A6 e-tron models only get a 100kWh battery – and in basic form, it allows the Eletre to manage up to 373 miles on the official economy test.

Will you achieve that in the real world? Almost certainly not, but there’s no reason why a basic Eletre shouldn’t easily cover more than 200 miles on a charge. And going slightly faster doesn’t damage the potential range too much. Even the range-topping 900 Sport Carbon model will (officially) do up to 310 miles on a charge, so you shouldn’t have to stop and charge all that regularly.

Performance & Drive

Despite not being an especially large manufacturer, Lotus is offering customers a wide range of different Eletre models, albeit all based on the same basic premise. Each and every one comes with a 112kWh battery, which powers a pair of electric motors. That means all-wheel drive is standard on all models, with one motor powering the rear wheels and another powering the front wheels.

The base model, the Eletre 600, gets 603hp from its two motors, allowing it to accelerate from 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 160mph. And the instant response of the electric motors means it feels even faster. Yet if you drive in a more relaxed way, the official economy test reckons you’ll see a return between 354 and 373 miles from a full charge.

Those who upgrade to the 900, however, will get even more power, with a huge 905hp on tap, and that’s enough to increase the top speed by 5mph. More to the point, though, it cuts the 0-62mph time to less than three seconds, and that kind of performance is little short of outrageous. If you thought the 600 was fast, the 900 rewrites the rulebook, offering the sort of acceleration that actually hurts. Especially for passengers who aren’t expecting it.

Unfortunately, the extra power means the electric range drops to between 254 and 310 miles on the official economy test, but for something this big and powerful, such distance is reasonable.

The performance, then, is all very impressive, but despite all that, this is not a traditional Lotus, and those who expect it to behave like one will be doomed to disappointment. Everyone else, though, will absolutely love the way this car drives, with a supple high-speed ride that makes it brilliant on the motorway, and a sense of quietness and peace in the cabin. Sure, the ride is a little firm at lower speeds – presumably because the battery weighs so much and the wheels are enormous – but it’s a great long-distance cruiser. It almost feels like a Bentley.

The handling is a little Bentley-esque, too, albeit only if Bentley were to make a massive electric SUV. The Eletre is too big and heavy to respond well to being thrown about, but it’s fantastic on fast, sweeping back roads. The steering is light, but it’s direct and responsive, so you still get plenty of confidence in the car’s capabilities, as well as a bit of feel for what it’s doing. The brakes are powerful, too, and the body control is remarkable for something that weighs so much. There is very little lean in corners.

Yet the car doesn’t feel at home being pitched into a bend at breakneck speed. It’s much happier being guided through corners at about three-quarters of the maximum possible speed, where it can retain that relaxed and composed feel that makes it so epic on a long drive. It is, in a strange way, more of an old-school GT car than a big sports car.

Charging

Every version of the Eletre comes with the same 350kW charging capability, although such speeds are only possible using the most powerful public charging points. Nevertheless, if you can plug into such a point, the Eletre can add up to 250 miles of official range in just 20 minutes. However, if you charge using a domestic 7kW ‘wallbox’ charge point, it’ll take about 15 hours to fill the battery completely. That might be a bit too long to fill the battery overnight, but then most drivers are unlikely to charge the battery from empty anyway, and with such a huge range, you probably won’t need to fill it completely.

Running Costs & Emissions

Despite being an ultra-fast, ultra-heavy and ultra-luxurious SUV, the Eletre should prove remarkably cheap to run, thanks to its all-electric powertrains. Clearly, the base model is likely to take you furthest on a charge, but if you can take advantage of cheap-rate electricity, no Eletre is likely to break the bank when it comes to fuel costs. And although charging in public places will cost more, no V8-powered SUV is going to be anything like as cheap to run as this.

And if you’re lucky enough to be getting the Eletre as a company car, then things get even better. Perhaps the Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax advantages are not what they once were for electric vehicles, but we defy you to find anything as roomy, fast and cheap to run for the same money. Unless, of course, you go for another electric SUV, in which case the price difference will be negligible.

Interior & Technology

With such a laser focus on lightness, it’s probably fair to say Lotus isn’t renowned for its vehicle interiors. Yet the Eletre has a stunning cabin that’s beautiful to look at and beautifully made. The materials are brilliant — easily as good as those used in more luxury-orientated brands’ models — and the fit and finish is great, too.

The design is quite clean and modern, with a relatively minimalist dashboard design that centres on technology as much as anything else. Not only there is the now-obligatory massive central touchscreen, but the Eletre also gets a narrow passenger display and a similar driver’s instrument cluster, not to mention the two screens for the digital door mirrors, on cars that have such things.

While the central touchscreen is very good, and we’re big fans of how sharp and slick the system feels, we’re less sold on the digital instrument cluster, which feels small and basic. But that said, most of your focus will be on the head-up display, which is much more modern and gives you all the information you’re going to need most of the time.

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said of the digital door mirrors — an option we’d eschew in favour of more conventional mirrors. While they’re supposed to be efficient and aerodynamic, they are less intuitive than proper mirrors, because you can’t change the view just by moving your head, and you lose some of the depth perception you get from a conventional mirror. So while it looks cool, it isn’t worth the hassle.

With proper mirrors, though, the Eletre’s cabin is easy enough to see out of. And it’s a comfortable place to sit, with nicely sculpted seats that are incredibly supportive and look great too. Choose the right colour scheme, and it’ll even feel light and airy, although that is a little dependent on your specification choices.

Practicality & Boot Space

This is arguably the first Lotus in which practicality has really mattered, so it’s a good job the Eletre delivers. The rear passenger space is enormous, with loads of room to stretch your legs out and surprisingly ample amounts of rear headroom, despite the low-slung, sporty roofline. You can sit four tall adults in there with no problem at all.

And you can carry all their luggage, too, thanks to a boot that measures almost 700 litres in volume, giving you more space than you’ll ever find in the back of a conventional sports SUV such as a BMW X5 or a Range Rover Sport. And it’s way bigger than the space you’ll find in the back of the Audi SQ8 Sportback e-tron.

Safety

The Eletre doesn’t yet have a Euro NCAP crash test rating, so there’s no official word on how safe the big Lotus will be, but there are some indicators that it’ll be pretty secure. Not only is the car huge and heavy, but it comes with a plethora of advanced driver assistance systems. Intelligent adaptive cruise control comes as standard, maintaining a safe distance to the car in front, and lane-keeping assistance to keep the car from wandering across the white line. There’s collision avoidance technology, too, and autonomous emergency braking, as well as an emergency rescue call system in case of an accident.

Other clever systems include a remote parking function available via the smartphone app, which allows the driver to manoeuvre the car into a space from outside the vehicle, allowing the car to use tighter spaces than would normally be available.

Options

At first glance, the Eletre range looks large and confusing, but the way to break it down is by thinking of the Eletre as two different cars in one. The 600 has its own range, while the 900 gets a sportier line-up all of its own.

The 600 line-up, then, kicks off with the base model, known simply as the Eletre 600, but that still comes with lots of standard equipment, including the head-up display, digital driver and passenger displays, and automatic matrix LED headlights. Over-the-air updates are included, along with four-zone climate control, heated seats and 12-way adjustable electric front seats. Even the 20-inch cast alloy wheels, shod in Michelin Pilot Sport EV tyres, are included as standard.

Those who want more can have the GT, with its 22-inch alloy wheels, sports pedals and extra driver assistance tech, in the shape of the Highway Assist pack and the Parking pack. And those who want the GT SE will get an ‘intelligent’ glass roof, a KEF Reference audio system and a hands-free tailgate. Finally, the 600 range is topped by the Sport SE, which adds to the GT SE with an active rear spoiler, the Lotus Dynamic Handling pack and the Comfort Seat pack, as well as soft-close doors.

Those choosing the Eletre 900, meanwhile, get a completely different range, starting with the ‘basic’ Sport model that gets 22-inch alloys, lightweight brakes and active aerodynamics, as well as all the usual features of the 600 models. The KEF sound system is standard, too. Above that, however, is the pinnacle of the Eletre range: the 900 Sport Carbon, which adds to the Sport with a full exterior carbon pack, and carbon interior trim, as well as a sports bonnet and the Comfort Seat pack.

Were it our choice, we’d probably go for the 600 GT SE or 600 Sport SE, probably in Galloway Green or Solar Yellow, which are the only non-monotone colour options available. We’d avoid the 23-inch alloy wheel options, simply for the sake of our spines, and we’d stick with gloss black exterior trim, rather than the expensive carbon alternatives. Inside, we’d choose one of the lighter colour schemes, just to increase the sense of light and airiness in the cabin.

Rival Cars

Electric SUVs are, unsurprisingly, becoming a lot more common, and the Eletre’s list of rivals is growing all the time. Naturally, though, the focus is often more on efficiency than performance, and few cars blend the two quite as neatly as the Eletre.

Perhaps the closest mainstream competitor is the BMW iX M70, which is a big, roomy, comfortable SUV turned into a bit of a rocket ship. With 659hp, it’s rapid in a straight line, and BMW’s traditional steering feel means it’s pretty good to drive, but it’s a bit of a blunt instrument.

Alternatively, you might look at the Audi SQ8 e-tron, which is a bit more precise and finessed, but a little less futuristic and imposing. It is still really pleasant to drive, though, and it’s incredibly high-tech, which will play well with a lot of customers.

Alternatively, you’re looking at some more left-field electric alternatives, such as the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT, the Polestar 4 or the VW ID.5 GTX. Or, if all-electric power is less important to you, you could always look at the Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid Coupe models, which are spectacular to drive and very well made.

Verdict & Next Steps

If you can look past the badge and all it stands for, the Eletre is a mightily impressive car. It may not be a ‘proper’ Lotus, but that doesn’t stop it being properly quick and properly exciting to drive, not to mention properly luxurious. It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, and it does have some little quirks, but it’s still an astonishing piece of automotive engineering, and even the die-hard Lotus fanatics would have to applaud that.

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**Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top leading independent car website reviews of the Lotus Eletre.

**Correct as of 05/06/2025. Based on 9 months initial payment, 5,000 miles annually, over a 48 month lease. Initial payment equivalent to 9 monthly payments, or £9,289.17 (Plus admin fee) Ts and Cs apply. Credit is subject to status.