Lotus prepares a hybrid Eletre and signals a new chapter for its SUVs
Lotus is about to give the Eletre, its electric SUV, a dramatic change of direction. In January the public will see a petrol electric version that broadens the brand’s battery driven ambitions and adds a fresh layer of engineering. The hybrid Eletre is shaping up to be the company’s most intriguing project, combining electric intent with combustion flexibility. It targets drivers who are not quite ready to live in a fully electric world.
Several Chinese outlets report that Lotus outlined its plans during a financial conference. The model’s official name is still under wraps, but the Eletre will gain a hybrid powertrain, and testing is already under way in China.
The current Eletre is purely electric, yet the logic behind a hybrid lies close at hand in partner brand Zeekr’s technology. The hybrid system used in Zeekr’s flagship models is now being adapted for the Eletre. The SUV will employ a 900 volt architecture and a power unit that in Zeekr’s most potent form delivers up to 1400 horsepower. Lotus intends to tame that potential and expects the hybrid Eletre to produce roughly 950 horsepower.
Lotus executives say the hybrid will offer more than 1000 kilometres of driving range. Even when the battery runs low, the petrol engine keeps the journey moving, a setup that should appeal to long distance travellers. The hybrid Eletre will also gain dual chamber air suspension and active body control. These features promise a blend of agility and comfort that appears to be the guiding theme for the next generation of Lotus SUVs.
Sales of the hybrid Eletre will begin in China during the first quarter of next year. European deliveries are expected in the second half of the year. A second plug in hybrid is set to follow, reportedly based on the electric Emeya saloon. Lotus has not confirmed it, although the rumour continues to circulate in the industry and fits neatly with the company’s product plan.
The hybrid Eletre signals a shift from all electric optimism to the more pragmatic world of hybrids. Several manufacturers that once pledged a purely electric future are now opening the door to plug in models to ease concerns about charging networks and range anxiety. Lotus is moving along that path with particular clarity. The Eletre hybrid suggests that even a luxury electric flagship sometimes needs a hint of petrol in the air to be taken seriously.
