The Lotus Eletre Carbon: When is a Lotus Not a Lotus?

Founded in 1948, British automaker Lotus Cars became famous worldwide for its automotive engineering prowess and rich history in motorsports, including winning seven F1 championships. The company’s philosophy from the very start has been to “simplify and then add lightness,” or, in other words, to take the complexity out of components, then make those remaining components as lightweight as possible. And that motto has worked well for Lotus… until now: Introducing the all-new, all-electric Lotus “Eletre Carbon” SUV. At 5,850 pounds and with all-wheel-drive, a 111.9-kWh lithium-ion battery, and an 800-volt electrical architecture dual-motor, this newest vehicle in the Lotus stable hardly seems simple and is definitely not lightweight—but does that mean it is not a true Lotus?

Officially launched in 2023, the Lotus Eletre was developed under the control of Lotus’ new Chinese owner, Geely Holding, and is now on sale in the USA. While Europe and China get three different versions, the US only gets the top-tier Eletre Carbon, which starts at a base price of $229,900 including tariffs. My press car came with the optional carbon-ceramic brakes with 10-piston calipers ($18,500), the four-seat Executive Seating Pack ($8,750), and performance Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires ($1,100) that brought the as-tested price to an eye-watering $261,250… Wow!

With 905-horsepower and a 0-60 mph time of under 2.9 seconds, the Eletre is stupid-fast. Hitting the accelerator pedal is like altering time: Whatever you see way, way down the street suddenly appears right in front of you! Combine all that power with the smoothness and silence of an electric powerplant, and, if you’re not careful, you’ll find yourself driving well above 100 mph on the expressway without even realizing it—try explaining that to your “friendly” Illinois State Trooper!

The design of the Lotus Eletre is definitely supercar-like. This SUV is a looker and will get you noticed. Sitting at a red light is sure to get a thumbs-up and a wave from fellow motorists, and parking it at the mall invites perfect strangers to come up and ask you all sorts of questions. The look inside is just as bold as the outside. Every surface is covered in premium-grade Alcantara and leathers from Bridge of Weir in Scotland. The cabin wraps around the front occupants but still has an open and spacious feel. The sport seats are both supportive and comfortable, and the square-like steering wheel feels molded right to your hands—it’s nice in here. In addition, there are carbon-fiber accents throughout and a large 15.1” OLED center-mounted infotainment screen that gives the interior a luxury ambience. Fit and finish is excellent and the standard 23-speaker sound system sourced from British high-end audio specialist KEF is absolutely killer.

Battery range for the Eletre is a little bit of a disappointment. Despite the claim of a mediocre 280 miles, the trip computer indicated only 240 miles of range with the battery still at 95%, (granted, I wasn’t driving it slow). Still, be prepared to make an extra charging stop or two on that extended trip to the lake house. Driving the Lotus Eletre is where you realize this beast has a split personality: Drive it fast, and the car rewards you with tons of grip, great agility (thanks in part to standard rear-wheel steering), on-demand brakes, and precise steering. Drive it at normal speeds, however, and the suspension feels clunky, the steering seems a bit vague, and the brakes are way too grabby—perfectly acceptable for a weekend-only sports car, but not for a family-hauling, grocery-getting SUV.

And that is the problem with the Lotus Eletre: It’s trying to be something that it isn’t. This is a great SUV, but it is not a great Lotus. Yes, the Eletre has the speed and power, but it’s missing the true Lotus qualities: telepathic steering, mechanical engagement, and that communication of the road you get through the tires, chassis, and suspension. In other words, even if you ignore the extra weight inherent of the EV battery, the Lotus Eletre Carbon is no longer what Lotus has stood for the past 78 years – the “simplify and then add lightness” philosophy is now entering uncharted territory and only time will tell if that is going to work for Lotus – or not.