The iconic niche brand of Lotus revealed its new all-electric SUV on March 29 after teasing us with a box on a boat. This new luxury SUV is stylish, attractive, aggressive, and advanced, making it one of the most interesting vehicles to discuss. Can you imagine driving a lightweight SUV with 600 horsepower coming from electric motors? If so, you should have your eyes on the Lotus Eletre.

Let’s see what this new luxury SUV has to offer.

A divergence from the Lotus brand to the Eletre

For years, Lotus has offered lightweight, high-performance sports cars. The success of the brand came from the low production volume, giving each model an air of exclusivity. While we don’t know if that feeling is gone with the emergence of the new luxury SUV, we know the cars are gone. No longer will we see gasoline-powered super-lightweight cars wearing the Lotus badge. From here on out, everything will have electric motors providing the power.

Will this new Lotus luxury SUV arrive in the United States?

The new Lotus Eletre will make a semi-domestic tour first. This SUV is part of the 2023 model lineup for the UK, Europe, and China. After this, we will see it in the United States as a 2024 model. When it arrives, it should fetch a price of nearly $120,000.

A formula for success with a sporty luxury model

How can Lotus make an SUV a success? Can they bring us an SUV that fits their brand identity? The Eletre offers a lightweight build and at least 600 horsepower from the electric motors. Low weight and high power numbers have always been the formula for success at Lotus. This new electric SUV offers a quoted acceleration of 2.9 seconds to reach 60 mph putting it in rare company.

Of course, Lotus already leaked news that they are working on a model to deliver 900 horsepower. That version should reach 60 mph in less than 2.5 seconds, and it will be the flagship vehicle of this niche brand. This new higher-powered version should arrive a couple of years after the initial model in the same markets.

Technology, thy name is Lotus Eletre

While talking about speed, power, and performance is fun, Lotus is not making this new luxury SUV to be just a sports machine. This new model should fit some high-class families with the seating desired and a package of technology items that take the brand into the future.

The Eletre brings innovative tech, including a camera system that replaces the side mirrors called Electric Reverse Mirror Displays. These cameras give the driver a 360-degree view of the vehicle.

Another cool item is the deployable LIDAR included in the Lotus Eletre. This system has hidden sensors that only deploy when needed. The LIDAR system is for autonomous driving with sensors coming up from the top of the windshield, rear glass, and front-wheel arches. Other items using sensors include the Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control, Collision Mitigation, and Lane Change Assist features.

An impressive luxury SUV from a special brand name

The Lotus Eletre signals a new direction for the brand while maintaining its personality. While we don’t know how this electric SUV performs against some of the other models in the industry, it sure comes packed with a lot to offer. This could be the luxury SUV many want to buy, but only a few can have if Lotus sticks to the low-production numbers of the past. Of course, we could see the Eletre offered in much greater numbers than any other Lotus in history with this new direction.

Next, check out some great car movies, or watch the Lotus Eletre in the video below:

This article was updated on 8/15/2022.