Once known for building some of the most driver-focused sports cars that the world had ever seen, it seems Lotus is taking a different approach under new management in the electric age.
The Eletre has been revealed as the brand's first-ever SUV, and it's going to be exclusively powered by batteries. It's set to go on sale alongside the Emira and the Evija.
Like most EVs, this Eletra is built on a brand new platform that's able to be scaled for different vehicles, so we can expect to see at least two other electric SUVs come from the brand in the next few years.
Building an SUV might sound like a sacrilegious move from Lotus, but in a world dominated by high-riding family haulers, Lotus has had to adapt before it crumbles like so many other niche brands have.
Back to the Eletre, this thing is massive by Lotus standards. It's longer than a Porsche Cayenne, but only slightly shorter in height. It's probably going to be a very similar size to the upcoming Ferrari Purosangue.
While power figures are still under wraps, it looks like the entry-level Eletre will deliver around 441kW and hit 100km/h in less than three seconds. Two other power outputs should also be available with the range-topping model having 521kW.
Weights have been revealed either, but we'd imagine that an electric SUV like this would probably end up weighing somewhere in the region of 2.2-tonnes.
On the inside, the Eletre promises to blend futuristic luxury with a high-performance feel. From the images, it looks like the majority of the cabin is covered in Alcantara, which is rather interesting.
Unlike the Tesla Model X, the rear doors of the Eletre don't open upward, but there should still be plenty of space for passengers in the second row, and a heap of luggage space out back.
