The all-electric Lotus Electra R hyper-SUV offers a wild ride. Jonathan Crouch drives it.

Ten Second Review

How do you make a 2.6-tonne luxury SUV handle like a Lotus, while at the same time giving it as much as 905bhp? It's a conundrum encapsulated by this car, the Lotus Eletre R.

Background

There's never been a mainstream Lotus with more power than the Eletra R. But there's never been a heavier Lotus model either. Which might lead you to doubt the wisdom of giving this top version of the brand's electric SUV as much as 905bhp. But what a confection is in prospect. And you don't have to have it as an SUV. All the same engineering is available in the brand's identically-platformed Emeya fastback GT. But it's the top Eletra that's our focus here.

Driving Experience

Lotus claims the Eletra has been engineered to deliver everything you would expect from the brand, in terms of ride and handling, steering and driver engagement. There's a clever three- in-one electric motor system integrating motor, controller and reducer into one package. And thanks to copious use of carbon fibre and aluminium, this car is light by EV standards too. Just one reason why the company is able to claim that this Eletra R is the world's fastest dual motor production SUV. This model has combined motor output of 905bhp accessed (unusually in an EV) by a dual-speed transmission which allows for faster acceleration. The 62mph sprint is dispatched in just 2.95s en route to 165mph. Plus there's lowered suspension, race-style damper settings and anti-roll control. The 'R' also comes with a 'Lotus Dynamic Handling Pack' (optional on other models) which includes an active anti-roll system, active rear-wheel steering and an extra 'Track' driving mode. The standard drive settings are 'Tour', 'Range', 'Sport', 'Individual' and 'Off Road'. These are controlled via a right hand steering wheel paddle and alter not only throttle response and steering feel but also responses from the Continuous Damping Control adaptive dampers. Suspension feel though, is always on the firm side. The drive modes also alter the ride height of the 2-Chamber air suspension, which lowers itself in 'Sport' and 'Range' (as part of the active aerodynamics) but raises in 'Off Road' (which also offers an even loftier 'Highest' setting). That, along with the standard Hill Descent Control system, might make surprisingly gnarly tracks passable, provided you were brave enough to attempt them in a six-figure luxury Lotus.

Design and Build

So much is different here. Not only the fact that this is an all-electric Lotus SUV but also the fact that this car has five doors, a big boot and, at 5.1-metres in length, is vastly bigger than anything the brand has previously made (almost the same size as a Lamborghini Urus). Yet great lengths have been gone to by Design Chief Ben Payne and his team to give the car a Lotus 'feel', primarily in the way that the compact bonnet, the short overhangs and the cab-forward stance reference the brand's previous mid-engined design layout. There are nods to Lotus cars of the present too, with sharp edges at the front and the glass canopy on top of the body, both referencing the look of the Evija hypercar. Huge 22 or 23-inch wheels help visually 'shrink' the silhouette. And at the rear, there's a full-width ribbon light and a carbonfibre three-stage deployable roof-mounted spoiler. And digital stalks are available as an option to replace the usual door mirrors. Inside, if anything, it's even more extreme and yes, again there is a very Lotus feel thanks to the driver-focused minimalist vibe. The small-diameter steering well with its regen-adjust and drive mode paddles is retro, yet futuristic. And through it, you view a slim info strip (under 30mm tall) which displays key vehicle and journeying info. Anything else you'll need is found on a 15.1-inch landscape-orientated central infotainment screen. A camera on the dash watches where you're looking and adjusts screen brightness automatically - which is useful to stop the little screens at either end of the dash (the ones replacing the door mirrors) becoming distracting. The front seats are super-slim race-style items. For the rear, a three-person bench is standard and rear legroom is impressive. A four-seat layout is optional with individual rear chairs. However, this reduces boot space from the normal 688-litres to 611-litres. Not bad for a Lotus though.

Market and Model

So, what might a luxury electric Lotus SUV like this cost? Well quite a lot in the case of the top R model we're trying here, which at the time of this test in Summer 2024 was pitched at a cool £120,000. That's £10,000 less than the equivalent Lotus Emeya R (a fastback GT) and reasonably competitive against obvious competitors like the Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo Turbo S, the Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV 53 4MATIC+, the Audi SQ8 Fastback e-tron and the (left hand drive-only) Tesla Model X Plaid. Equipment-wise on the Eletre R, the key inclusion is the 'Lotus Dynamic Handling Pack' which costs well over £6,000 on the two other models in the range and includes an active anti-roll system and active rear-wheel steering. The R gets an uprated Eletre 675 motor with 2-speed transmission and an extra 'Track' mode. And is set apart by a 'Carbon Fibre Pack', which adds that material to the front spoiler, the lower rear diffuser and the side sills. Other standard equipment includes 22-inch wheels, an augmented reality Head-up display and five drive modes that alter the car's steering, powertrain and suspension parameters. Plus there's a clever 'Electric Reverse Mirror Display' package which replaces conventional door mirrors and uses three cameras; one replacing the usual internal rear view mirror, one to contribute to a 360-degree surround view of the car and one as part of intelligent driving technologies. As for media connectivity, there's a 15.1-inch OLED touchscreen in the centre of the dash that's fitted with Lotus's latest Hyper OS operating system for the driver and passengers, pre-prepared for over-the-air updates. A dedicated smartphone app, wireless 'Apple CarPlay'/'Android Auto' smartphone-mirroring and 5G data compatibility are also included. As is a 1,380-watt 15-speaker KEF stereo. LiDAR sensors have been placed around the bodywork which (with the right options boxes ticked) will allow able the car to offer level four self-driving capability as soon this is allowed by legislation. 'Highway System Pack' and 'Parking Pack' options are available to widen the suite of driver assets.

Cost of Ownership

We gave you the driving range figure earlier - 304 miles for the Eletra R (it's 373 miles for the other two variants). This Lotus model's 'Electric Premium Architecture' 800-volt platform supports the latest ultra-rapid chargers that are springing up all over Europe: many rival premium brand EVs are still stuck on the old 400-volt system with their architecture. The 112kWh battery supports charging speeds of up to 420kW, which should enable you at a conventional rapid charger to replenish the battery from 10-80% in 20 minutes. The charging port has been placed on the front wing, which means electricity coming through to the car will be as close as possible to where it's needed, which cuts down on unnecessary internal cabling and the extra weight that would bring. A five year warranty is standard in the UK. Lotus offers roadside assistance across Europe for five years after vehicle purchase.

Summary

Whether Lotus founder Colin Chapman would have liked this uber-heavy uber-rapid hyper-SUV is irrelevant. He'd have liked the way that cars like this Eletra future-proof the company he founded back in 1948. And make possible other lighter sports car designs that in future might be more 'Lotus-like'. For the present, this Eletre R is quite a feat of engineering - and needs all of it to keep its 905bhp related to tarmac territory. You might disapprove of it, yet want one at the same time. At last here, an emotion that's recognisably Lotus.

Body Glass

Rain sensor

Heated washer jets

Heated rear windscreen

One touch windows with anti-pinch

Laminated glass for front side windows

Tinted (green glass) front windscreen

Laminated front windscreen

Brakes

Hill descent control

Electronic parking brake

Hill start assist

Auto hold function

Torque vectoring brake

Traction control system (TCS)

Electronic brake assist (EBA)

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

Adjustable regenerative braking

Autonomous emergency braking system (AEB)

Braking override system

Aluminium fixed calipers in front

Aluminium floating calipers in rear

Lightweight brake discs - 412 mm front and 397 mm rear

Chassis/Suspension

Active air suspension

Multi-link front and rear suspension

Lotus Intelligent Dynamic chassis control

Communication

Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto

Bluetooth

Wireless phone charger with NFC

Lotus App (core package)

5G telematics

Wireless internet hotspot

Driver Aids

Electric power steering

Adaptive cruise control

Rear park assist

Front park assist

Continuous damping control

Front cross traffic assist

Rear collision warning

Lane keeping aid

Rear cross traffic assist

Traffic sign information

Blind spot detection

5 drive modes (range, tour, sport, individual, off-road)

Visual park assist

Steering mode adjustment - Standard/Sport

Active rear protection (ARP)

Driver Convenience

Keyless entry and exit

RNC (Road Noise Cancellation)

Power tailgate with opening/closing function

Opening / stopping of tailgate using outer switch

Closing / stopping of tailgate using internal switch

Tailgate fuctions - Manual open (override), opening height memory, emergency unlock (interior), anti-pinch and any position stop

Pre-delivery tracking

Location based services

Service store and embedded apps

Car owner service

B-call (Breakdown call)

Driver Information

Satellite Navigation

Driver monitoring system

Exterior temperature indicator

e-Call (emergency call)

12.6" digital driver display

Electrical brake pad wear indicator

Interior and exterior air quality displayed in central screen

29" Head up display

Vehicle information - Electrical propulsion indication, power peformance, vehicle speed and range

Vehicle information - Trip distance & statistics, average speed & electricity consumption and elapsed driving time

Lotus Hyper OS with OTA updates

Lotus member centre

Remote information sharing and remote start function

Washer fluid indicator in HMI

Driving Mirrors

Auto dimming frameless rear view mirror

Embellishment Trims

Brushed aluminum interior deco panels

Entertainment

15.1" HD OLED centre screen

12.6" digital passenger display

8" Rear TFT screen for 5-seat layout

FM/DAB+ radio

KEF premium audio (1380W 15 speakers with KEF Uni-Q surround sound technology and Dolby Atmos)

Exterior Body Features

Rear reflectors

Frameless Doors

Illuminated door handles

Rear side wing doors

Flush door handles

Electrically operated charge port cover

Model and version branding on rear

Lotus active aero - Front grill

Floating split roof spoiler

Exterior Lights

Adaptive front lighting system

Puddle lights

LED daytime running lights

LED high beam

Matrix LED headlights

LED centre high mounted stop light

LED reverse light

Rear LED fog light

LED side lights

Welcome and goodbye sequences

Rear LED light strip

ADB (Adaptive Driving Beam) Function

Automatic headlight activation via dusk sensor

LED turning indicators

Front and rear approach lights

See me home light

Rear lights rapid flashing on emergency braking

Rear LED number plate light

Automatic height adjustment of headlights

Heating/Cooling/Ventilation

Automatic air recirculate

Heat pump

4 zone automatic climate control

Air quality system

PM2.5 filter

Vehicle CO2 concentration monitoring

Interior Features

Sports pedals

Front and rear grab handles

Electrically adjustable steering column (4 way) with memory

Metal side sills (Treadplates)

Electrically adjustable front and rear air vents

2 cup holders in front centre console

Second row hanging hook

Side hooks in boot

Under boot floor storage

Hard parcel shelf

2 x USB Type-C sockets for fast charging & data transfer in row 1

2 x USB Type-C sockets for fast charging in row 2

12V socket in centre consoler storage and boot

Gear selector in centre console

Floor pivoted electronic accelerator pedal

Heated multifunction steering wheel with hands off detection

Front centre console armrest

B pillar air vents in 2nd row

Lockable glove box

Interior Lights

White ambient lighting

Touch sensitive light switch

Packs

Parking Pack - Eletre

Safety

Warning triangle

Front side airbags

Passenger airbag deactivate switch

Door open warning

Full size driver and passenger airbags

Curtain Airbag

3 point front seat belts

Front and rear seatbelt reminder

Height adjustable front seat belts (4 levels)

Post impact braking

Driver far side airbag

Escape switch in boot

Life Detection and Care (LDC)

Safety vests

TPMS (Tyre pressure monitoring system) with digital display

Electrically operated child locks

Single door opening (one touch driver unlock / 2 touch all doors unlock) - Configurable in HMI

Rear outer seatbelts with single load limiter and stop function & Centre standard safety belt for 2nd row middle seat

Front motorised pretensioner retractor with adaptive load limiter

Safety shield

Seats

Heated front seats

ISOFIX on outer rear seats

3 seat bench in 2nd row

40/20/40 split folding rear seat

Single front passenger seat

Electric adjustment of rear seat angle

12-way (8-way+4-way lumbar) electric adjustable front seats

Front seat memory and driver seat greeting function

Rear centre foldable armrest with 2 cupholders

Seat track position sensor

Security

Locking wheel nuts

Deadlocks

Electric steering column lock

Keyless Go

Thatcham category 1 alarm

Card key with NFC function

Central locking with lock button on centre console

Lotus pebble key

Lock/unlock and window close functions using vehicle key

Hardware for stolen vehicle tracker

Unlock/start via phone with NFC function (BLE+UWB+NFC)

Towing

Front tow hook

Transmission

Four wheel drive

Vanity Mirrors

Illuminated vanity mirror

Vehicle Charging

Type 2 mode 3 charging cable

Wheels

Pirelli P-Zero tyres

Wheels - Spare

Tyre repair kit including compressor and sealant

Electric Vehicle Data

Standard manufacturers Battery warranty - Mileage: 125000

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (miles) - Comb: 332

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (miles) - City: 375

WLTP - EC (miles/kWh) - Comb: 2.6

WLTP - EC (kWh/100km) - Comb: 23.9

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (km) - Comb: 535

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (km) - City: 603

Battery Type: Lithium-ion

Battery Leased: 0

Battery Capacity in kWh: 112

Maximum Charging Rate - kW: 350

Standard manufacturers Battery warranty - Years: 8

Coupler/Connector Type: CCS Type 2

Battery Charging Scenario 2 - Percentage Change: 10-80

Battery Charging Scenario 1 - Charge Time (Mins): 348

Battery Charging Scenario 1 - Power Supply - kW: 22

Battery Charging Scenario 1 - Percentage Change: 0-100

Battery Charging Scenario 2 - Charge Time (Mins): 20

Battery Charging Scenario 2 - Power Supply - kW: 350

Usable Battery Capacity: 108

Charging Port Location: Left Side Front

Battery Capacity % guaranteed under warranty: 70

Emissions - ICE

NOx: N

HC: N

CO: N

Noise Level dB(A): N

HC+NOx: N

Particles: N

Standard Euro Emissions: N

CO2 (g/km): 0

Engine and Drive Train

CC: 1

Engine Code: N

Gears: 1 SPEED

Transmission: AUTO

Compression Ratio: N

Cylinders - Stroke (mm): N

Cylinders - Bore (mm): N

Cylinders: N

Cylinder Layout: N

Number of Valves: N

Camshaft: N

Fuel Delivery: N

Catalytic Convertor: N

Engine Layout: N

Fuel Consumption - ICE

EC Combined (mpg): N

EC Extra Urban (mpg): N

EC Urban (mpg): N

EC Directive 1999/100/EC Applies: N

General

Vehicle Homologation Class: M1

Service Interval Frequency - Months: 24

Badge Engine CC: 0

Generation Mark: 1

Badge Power: 600

Timing Belt Interval Frequency - Months: N

Timing Belt Interval Mileage: N

Special Edition: 0

Special Order: 0

Based On ID: N

Service Interval Mileage: 20000

Did at least one aspect of this vehicle's safety give cause for concern?: 0

Alternative Fuel Qualifying: No

Standard manufacturers warranty - Years: 5

Standard manufacturers warranty - Mileage: 120000

Manufacturers Paintwork Guarantee - Years: 5

Manufacturers Corrosion Perforation Guarantee - Years: 12

Coin Series: 600 GT

Coin Description: 450kW 112kWh

Performance

Engine Torque - MKG: 72.4

0 to 60 mph (secs): 0

Engine Power - PS: No

Engine Power - BHP: 612

Engine Power - KW: 450

Engine Torque - LBS.FT: 524

Engine Torque - NM: 710

Top Speed: 160

0 to 62 mph (secs): 4.5

Test Cycles

RDE Certification Level: N/A

Emissions Test Cycle: WLTP

Tyres

Wheel Style: 10 SPOKE

Alloys?: No

Space Saver?: 0

Wheel Type: 22" ALLOY

Tyre Size Spare: TYRE REPAIR KIT

Tyre Size Rear: 315/35 R22

Tyre Size Front: 275/40 R22

Vehicle Dimensions

Length: 5103

Width: 2019

Wheelbase: 3019

Width (including mirrors): 2231

Height: 1636

Weight and Capacities

Luggage Capacity (Seats Up): 688

Max. Loading Weight: 610

Max. Towing Weight - Unbraked: 750

Max. Towing Weight - Braked: 2250

No. of Seats: 5

Fuel Tank Capacity (Litres): N

Minimum Kerbweight: 2490

Gross Vehicle Weight: 3100

Max. Roof Load: 90

Luggage Capacity (Seats Down): 1532

Body Glass

Privacy glass for rear windscreen and rear side door windows

Brakes

Lotus 6 piston calipers in red colour

Driver Convenience

Homelink

Exterior Body Features

Special pearlescent paint

Additional pearlescent paint

Additional solid paint

Gloss black aluminium roof with black roof rails

Pearlescent paint

Lotus active aero - Rear boot spoiler

Electrically folding heated side rear view cameras with right and left dashboard E-mirror display, featuring blind spot display and viewpoint settings

Interior Features

PU Leather steering wheel in dark grey with dark steel blue accents

Additional nappa leather upholstery

Additional special nappa leather upholstery

Additional Lotuswear Performance fabric upholstery

Nappa leather upholstery

Packs

Comfort Seat Pack - Eletre

Black Badge Pack - Eletre

Highway assist Pack (with LiDAR) - Eletre

Paint - Pearlescent

Pearl - Stellar black

Pearl - Akoya white

Paint - Solid

Solid - Kaimu grey

Solid - Zenith white

Paint - Special

Tri-coat Pearl - Solar yellow

Safety

Seat belts in red colour

Towing

Electric towbar

Trim - Cloth

Additional Lotuswear Performace fabric upholstery - Quartz light grey

Lotuswear Performace fabric upholstery - Jasper black

Trim - Leather

Additional special nappa leather - Gold

Nappa leather - Magnetite grey

Additional nappa leather - Jasper black

Wheels - Alloy

22" 5-spoke gloss black forged alloy wheels

22" 10-spoke gloss black forged alloy wheels

22" 10-spoke grey diamond turned forged alloy wheels

22" 5-spoke grey and black diamond turned forged alloy wheels