Lotus Eletre
How it looks on the street: Lotus is a historic British marque that’s been reimagined as a modern day electric luxe brand, a study in just-right proportions. It’s a head turner, which is not easy to do in this oversaturated model category. While Lotus is best known for sports cars like Elise and Evora, the Eletre is not that, but probably all the more lucrative for the appetite of the market with its more spacious dimensions. It’s a small SUV, or mini crossover that gives off car-like form language. It’s also a key vehicle in the revival of British brand Lotus, under the ownership of the Geely empire. Eletre has performance minded proptions, slanted head lights, and a sculpted body that allow for better aerodynamic air flow. The Eletre might not be what Lotus known for but its succeed in a handsome option for the luxe EV customer, which will soon be followed by more trademark Lotus sportscar designs, the Emira and Evija.
How it makes you feel when you get in: The interior has modern hotel lobby vibes — a spacious glass roof, ambient lighting, Nappa leather or recycled textiles ar available — we drove in a leather swaddled version. Materials feel rich and well appointed. The tech translates into a large screen that has desktop PC proportions and live-traffic navigation. The Lotus app assists in vehicle controls like seat ventilation as well as journey mapping. It’s equipped to foster over-the-air system updates.
How it drives: Eletre makes a whopping 900 horsepower in the R and 600 hp in the base model. It boasts that it gets about 250 miles of range in 20 minutes of fast charging, and a total range of 370 miles. Those figures translate into spirited performance that produces an unexpected zing and exceptional handling even on the suburban roads we used for this short test drive. The rear light just above the log turns a nifty green while charging. Lidar and cameras oversee any potential interference upping its safety controls.
Space for people and things: Ample interior space in the frunk and rear storage compartments. It can be configured as a three-seater bench, or a more comfy space with two seats and a center consul for streaming and cupholders, which is what we drove and the preference for this price point.
What to compare it to: Porsche Taycan Turbo Cross Turismo, Tesla Model X Plaid, BMW IX M60, Rolls-Royce Spectre, and Mercedes-AMG EQE
How much does it cost: R-Spec will cost about $150,000