The sporty shape makes the Lotus Eletre look somewhat smaller than it actually is. We’re dealing with an SUV stretching at a stately 5,103 millimeters (201 inches) long that carries a long wheelbase measuring 3,019 mm (118.8 in). It’s 2,231 mm (87.8 in) wide with the conventional mirrors, but the width decreases to 2,135 mm (84 in) with the side cameras. Although its weight has not been mentioned, we do know the engineers made extensive use of aluminum and carbon fiber to shave off fat. In fact, all the black body parts are made from carbon fiber while the other panels are in aluminum.

The swoopy SUV with its coupe-like roofline is the latest model to adopt a split headlight design with an upper LED strip for the daytime running lights. Speaking of design trends, the full-width light bar at the back is also a common occurrence in today’s car scene. The same can be said about the “floating” roof effect by painting all the pillars black.

Especially in this yellow shade, we’re getting the impression of a Lamborghini Urus silhouette or a four-door sports car on stilts. It certainly has the performance of a fully fledged performance machine by promising to hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in less than three seconds. It comes as standard with all-wheel drive courtesy of two electric motors.

Lotus specifies power starts at 600 horsepower, which means it’s already cooking up hotter versions of the Eletre with more oomph. Another missing piece of the puzzle has to do with torque, which an educated guess tells us it’ll be significantly higher than the horsepower figure. In the case of the BMW iX M60, it packs 610 hp and a colossal 1,100 Nm (811 lb-ft).

The sleek SUV is equipped with a large battery featuring a generous capacity of over 100 kWh to enable an estimated WLTP range of 373 miles (600 kilometers). Once it’s depleted, the pack can be charged at up to 350 kW, which translates to 248 miles (400 kilometers) of range after only 20 minutes of charging.

It’s by far the most technologically advanced car from Lotus thanks to an industry-first deployable Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) mounted above the windshield. Another tech highlight is the 15.1-inch tilting OLED touchscreen for the infotainment system, which can work together with a head-up display equipped as standard with augmented reality (AR). The traditional instrument cluster has made way for a slim digital screen just 30 mm (1.18 in) high where essential info is displayed and duplicated on the passenger side as well.

Lotus will fit the higher-spec Eletre with no fewer than 23 speakers as part of a premium sound system with 2,160 watts of power. The more expensive models also get a panoramic glass sunroof and 23-inch wheels with ceramic brakes featuring 10-piston calipers for superior stopping power.

The zero-emissions SUV will be offered with a choice between four individual seats or a more traditional five-seat layout with a rear bench. Lotus mentions Eletre has been developed with everything from rear-wheel steering to an air suspension, not to mention torque vectoring, five-link rear suspension, and an active anti-roll bar. There’s even a dedicated off-road mode, not that many people will take their electric Lotus SUV off the beaten path.

Already available to order, the electric SUV will be built at a new factory in Wuhan, China. The first deliveries to customers are scheduled to take place next year in Europe, the UK, and China. Details about US availability will be disclosed at a later date.

Source: Lotus

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In another teaser video, the Lotus SUV shows its swanky alloy wheel design with a two-tone finish and aerodynamically optimized spokes for improved efficiency. Previous tidbits shared by the British company included a folding touchscreen for the infotainment, along with an active rear spoiler. We also know it’s getting a LIDAR setup for an advanced autonomous driving system, while active shutters at the front will further boost aero.

The Lotus electric SUV won’t be built at home in the UK since it will be assembled at a new factory in Wuhan, China where a four-door coupe will follow in 2023. In development since 2016, the first high-riding model from the legendary sports car brand will ride on a dedicated electric car platform engineered for vehicles with 92 to 120 kWh batteries. 800V charging functionality will be supported, thus allowing the Type 132 to be among the quickest-charging EVs on the market.

It is believed Lotus is planning two launch versions with 600 and 750 horsepower, respectively. Both will have AWD as standard and should hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in around three seconds. In regards to size, the company has previously mentioned it will be an E-segment model, meaning it should be just about as big as a Porsche Cayenne. Lotus has already said the architecture will accommodate wheelbases varying from 2889 to 3100 mm.

Debuting in the coming months, the Lotus electric SUV will enter production in Wuhan in 2022, but deliveries might not start until the end of the year or early 2023.

Source: Lotus

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Interestingly, the SUV will have a tablet-styled infotainment that will rest on the upper part of the dashboard when not in use. Upon activation, the touchscreen will tilt forward, bringing it closer to the driver and front passenger. It appears to be a large display with a portrait orientation, which means it should be similar to operate as the smartphone you have in your pocket.

Technical specifications remain a mystery for the time being, albeit we do know it will be underpinned by a completely new platform developed exclusively for EVs. We’ve heard the SUV will be roughly the same size as a Porsche Cayenne and will offer a potent dual-motor configuration with all-wheel drive and a rumored 750 horsepower. The architecture can accommodate various battery pack sizes, ranging from 92 to 120 kWh.

An SUV has been a long time coming from the Geely-owned brand, and while purists won’t like the idea of a high-riding Lotus, accountants would argue it is the right decision to make the Norfolk-based company profitable. The British marque has fully switched to electric cars as the Emira unveiled a few months ago is the final model to feature a gasoline engine. Going forward, everything will be an EV.

The Type 132 will be built at a new factory in Wuhan (yes, that Wuhan) and will be followed by a four-door coupe, smaller crossover, and a sports car – in this order.

Source: Lotus

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Ahead of its official premiere, the SUV currently only known by its internal codename has been teased for the third time. The first two episodes focused on the active air intake at the front where the Type 132 will also boast a LIDAR, while this new episode provides a glimpse of the active rear spoiler. Lotus says the automatically deployable rear spoiler takes after the one installed in the Evija, but it’s obviously much smaller.

It’s designed to boost airflow at the rear and could also possibly double as an air brake when pressing the brake pedal at high speeds. Lotus has not specified whether the SUV will initially be shown as a concept or straight as a production model, but we do know the final version is set to go on sale later in 2022.

Another piece of the puzzle is represented by the vehicle’s name, though some are saying it’s going to be called Lambda. That would be a significant departure considering Lotus typically names its cars starting with an “E.” Then again, this isn’t yet another lightweight sports car as the Type 132 will reflect the company’s intentions of branching out to other segments of the market.

Rumored to be about the same size as a Porsche Cayenne, the electric SUV will ride on a dedicated electric car platform developed to accommodate batteries as small as 92 kWh and as large as 120 kWh. The architecture will support all-wheel drive courtesy of dual electric motors providing up to 750 horsepower, but it’s unclear whether the SUV will feature this much power.

It is going to need it though, considering an electric SUV will have roughly double the weight of the featherweight machines launched by the Geely-owned British brand in the past decades. It will go up against the likes of the Tesla Model X and Mercedes EQS SUV, not to mention the BMW iX and the Audi E-Tron.

Source: Lotus

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A new episode of the teaser campaign hints the first-ever sports utility vehicle from the Norfolk-based brand will have a highly advanced semi-autonomous driving system. What may look like the return of pop-up headlights is actually something completely different, an electrically deployable LIDAR. Those five letters stand for Light Detection and Ranging, serving as the proverbial “eyes” of the high-riding Lotus.

Mounted at the front of the Type 132, the LIDAR will help the car automatically detect obstacles, therefore safely navigate through traffic without any driver input. That said, the electric SUV won’t be a fully driverless car since the autonomous system will meet level 3 requirements in a best-case scenario. Vehicles with level 3 capabilities can make informed decisions on their own, like overtaking a slow-moving vehicle, but human override is still necessary. Consequently, the person behind the wheel still has to pay attention to what’s going on in front and take control in case something is about to go wrong.

From the previous teaser released last week, Lotus gave us a glimpse of the Type 132’s active aerodynamics with flaps that remain closed for improved airflow and only open when additional cooling is necessary. The zero-emissions SUV will ride on a bespoke EV platform known as the Premium Architecture tailored to what Lotus refers to as “premium lifestyle” models with a wheelbase between 2,889 to 3,100 millimeters (113.7 to 122 inches).

It is believed the sports utility vehicle will be approximately as large as the Porsche Cayenne, but thanks to its dedicated electric architecture, it should have more room inside the cabin. The underpinnings will support batteries varying in capacity from 92 to 120 kWh, and rumors say the SUV will have anywhere between 600 to 750 horsepower with dual motors and all-wheel drive.

Expect the 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) sprint to take less than three seconds for an electric SUV that has been in development for the last five years or so. The teaser campaign indicates the world premiere is inching closer, with the market launch already confirmed to take place at some point in 2022. The Type 132 will be followed in the years to come by a four-door coupe, a smaller crossover, and a sports car – all as EV-only models.

Source: Lotus

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In the meantime, the Geely-owned company is kicking off the teaser campaign by providing a glimpse of the active aerodynamics embedded into the lower front air intake. There are flaps built into several hexagonal elements, which will open whenever more cooling will be necessary. In the rest of the time, those flaps will remain closed for better aero.

We are also noticing a front lip spoiler made entirely out of carbon fiber to shave off fat, although weight will be a real concern given the SUV body style and the fact it’ll be fully electric with a large battery. Enthusiasts are unlikely eager to discover the Type 132 since it will represent a great departure from the likes of the Elise and Evora track-focused machines.

Set to ride on new bespoke EV underpinnings dubbed “Premium Platform,” the Lotus SUV is said to be the size of a Porsche Cayenne, but that remains to be seen. We do know the architecture is being engineered for vehicles that will do 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in less than three seconds. These zero-emissions models will feature an 800-volt architecture, which could possibly mean owners will be able to charge the battery at up to 350 kW as the Porsche Taycan. If that’s going to be the case, it should take less than half an hour to replenish the pack to 80%.

Lotus hasn’t actually labeled the Type 132 as an SUV, but rather as a “lifestyle vehicle.” The architecture is being conceived in the United Kingdom by a team also consisting of engineers from Germany, China, and Sweden. We’re excited to learn more about what many consider as the most unlikely vehicle the brand could ever launch – a large and heavy SUV.

Source: Lotus

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The Norfolk-based brand has a busy schedule up ahead, with an electric SUV coming in 2022, followed by a four-door coupe EV the next year, and a smaller electric crossover scheduled for 2025. But it’s the new sports car (Type 135) that excites enthusiasts the most as a new report from Autocar claims it will revive the fabled Elise moniker.

It will ride on a dedicated electric car platform, dubbed E-Sports, which is being engineered for applications with anything from 469 to 872 horsepower. It effectively means the next-generation Elise, even with 469 hp, will have nearly twice the power of its predecessor. It opens up the possibility for an even stronger version that could dust off the Exige designation.

The two-seater electric sports car is expected to come in rear-wheel-drive form with a single motor mounted on the rear axle, but the platform is also being conceived to take a dual-motor arrangement with AWD. Much like the aforementioned Evija, it is believed the new Elise will greatly focus on aerodynamics to improve efficiency and performance, but obviously at a much lower asking price compared to the EV hypercar.

Geely is attempting to make the zero-emissions Elise as affordable as the defunct gasoline version, although it’s going to be tricky to accomplish since EVs are generally a lot more expensive than ICE cars. On the other hand, the sports car is not due until 2026, so production costs could significantly come down in the following five years. Lotus’ parent company projects the Elise EV could end up costing about as much as a high-end Exige.

Weight is a serious concern seeing as how EV-related hardware adds a lot of bulk while Lotus is known for selling some of the lightest sports cars in the world. The platform upon which it will ride can take either a 66.4- or a 99.6-kWh battery, with the maximum range estimated between 300 to 450 miles. The same underpinnings will also be used for Renault’s Alpine sub-brand to replace the mid-engined A110 coupe.

Source: Autocar

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One of them is being co-developed with Alpine and will be used not just by the two performance brands, but also by third-party companies as the underpinnings will be sold to interested parties. In Lotus’ case, the architecture will debut in 2026 with a new sports car currently known by its Type 135 codename. Meanwhile, fresh details have been released about the platform that will underpin this exciting new model.

It’s being designed for two-seater and 2+2 models with either 66.4-kWh or 99.6-kWh battery packs and single- or dual-motor configurations. Two wheelbases have been announced by Lotus, a minimum of 2,470 mm for the two-seater models and more than 2,650 mm for two-seaters with the larger battery or the 2+2 cars with the smaller pack.

The electric performance machines utilizing a single motor will have up to 350 kilowatts of power whereas the dual-motor models will produce a combined 650 kW. That works out to 470 and 872 horsepower, respectively. Depending on the model, the battery pack’s cells are stacked in either a “chest” or “slab” layout, meaning they sit vertically behind the seats or horizontally positioned under the cabin.

Little else is known about the platform, but that’s understandable considering we’re still five years away from seeing the first electric sports car to sit on the dedicated EV architecture. Lotus does reveal a tidbit regarding the rear subframe, which is a whopping 37 percent lighter than that of the Emira, the company’s final production model to feature an internal combustion engine.

Before the Type 135 arrives in 2026, next year will see the introduction of Lotus’ first-ever SUV, which will be offered only with electric propulsion. It’ll be a similar story with a four-door coupe arriving in 2023 and a smaller crossover due in 2025.

Source: Lotus

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