The Eletre was launched this morning with Gentari announced as Lotus' charging partner.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Lotus Eletre is launched in Malaysia today.
The all-electric Hyper-SUV is available in three variants and a choice of two powertrains of 603hp and 905hp.
The base Eletre is priced from RM578,000; the Eletre S from RM648,000; and Eletre R from RM798,000. The car is available as a five-seater by default but it can be specified as a four-seater as well.
Lotus Cars Malaysia said it has secured 140 bookings out of 200 units allocated for Malaysia this year.
The unit at launch is a pre-production Eletre S. Local deliveries of the production model will start in Q4 of this year.
At the launch, Lotus also announced it has tied up with Gentari to offer a "special charging package" for Eletre owners. Details of the package would be announced soon.
A Gentari official said a 120kW DC fast charger is likely to be installed at the sole Lotus showroom in Malaysia but discussions are still ongoing.
Gentari has about 150 chargers nationwide with 500 more to be installed this year.
The Eletre delivers several firsts for Lotus – the first model outside sports car segments, the first lifestyle electric vehicle (EV) and the most "connected" Lotus ever.
It features a cab-forward stance, long wheelbase of 3,019mm and very short overhangs front and rear.
The Eletre is built on Lotus’ all-new and highly versatile 800v Electric Premium Architecture (EPA) with an integrated, high-voltage power distribution system. This architecture uses aluminium and high-tensile steel for optimum structural rigidity.
The flat "skateboard-style" battery pack and electric motors are close to the ground to create a low centre of gravity that delivers on the Lotus promise of outstanding dynamic performance.
The versatile platform can also easily adapt to accommodate C+ to E+ vehicle class battery sizes, motors, component layouts and intelligent driving technologies. The platform will be the basis for future premium lifestyle performance electric vehicles from Lotus.
A signature element of the design is its "porosity" – the aerodynamic principle of air flowing through the car as well as under, over and around it. Most obvious are two exit vents on the bonnet that channel air from under the car’s leading edge.
Other examples can be found ahead of and behind the front wheel arches, behind the rear wheels, and even at the top of the D-pillar. Together, they enable less resistance in cutting through the air while delivering more efficiency in terms of improved vehicle range, speed and performance.
The Eletre comes with a choice of two powertrains, each with two electric motors, one driving the front wheels and another driving the rear wheels to deliver all-wheel-drive (AWD) capabilities.
The Eletre and Eletre S are powered by a single-speed system to deliver 603 hp and 710 Nm of torque with 0-100 kph performance of 4.5 seconds and 80-120 kph in less than 2.2 seconds. Both variants are capable of achieving top speeds of 258 kph and a maximum WLTP driving range of 600 km.
The flagship Eletre R comes with a dual-speed system that offers an impressive output of 905 hp and 985 Nm of torque. Capable of delivering a century sprint time of just 2.95 seconds and an acceleration of 80-120 kph in less than 1.9 seconds with a top speed of 265 kph, it is currently the world’s fastest dual-motor pure electric SUV. Maximum WLTP driving for the Eletre R is 490 km.
All three variants have a 112 kWh battery and a 350 kW charger that enables a rapid charging time of 10-80 percent in just 20 minutes. It also comes with the ability as standard to accept 22kW AC charging.
The front of the Eletre has a very sharp and crisp leading edge that reveals a clear lineage with the Emira and Evija.
The rear features a unique floating D-pillar engraved with the Eletre wordmark and an innovative "air blade" which reduces drag.
A full-width LED light strip that can appear in four colours not only indicates battery charge status but plays a role in the car’s theatrical unlocking – the exterior lights run through a short sequence, the active front grille breathes and the flush door handles deploy.
Other styling cues include an aggressively raked windscreen, narrow glass area and muscular haunches that dominate the profile view.
Overall, there is a visual lightness to the car, creating the impression of a high-riding sports car rather than an SUV.
Other standard exterior features include Matrix LED headlamps with high beam spot, LED daytime running lights, LED side lights, LED fog lights, an LED reverse light, welcome home lighting, powered hands-free tailgate with opening height memory, heated washer jets and a fixed gloss black aluminium roof.
The Eletre S and Eletre R add on auto-dimming side mirrors, rear privacy glass and soft door close. The Eletre R also gets a Carbon Pack as standard.
The Eletre rides on Pirelli P-Zero tyres with 22-inch 10-spoke silver diamond forged alloy wheels. The Eletre S comes standard with Pirelli P-Zero tyres and 22-inch 10-spoke grey diamond forged alloy wheels. The Eletre R is fitted with the Pirelli P-Zero Corsa performance tyres and 22-inch 10-spoke gloss black forged alloy wheels. For more personalisation, customers can opt for different wheels with five designs to choose from.
All variants come standard with lightweight brake discs and six-piston callipers – in standard black colour for the Eletre and with a choice of colours for the Eletre S and Eletre R.
A front and rear multi-link suspension with air suspension, Continuous Damping Control (CDC), torque vectoring by braking, an active front grille and a "floating" split roof spoiler all combine to deliver optimal aerodynamics, ride and handling.
Eletre’s active front grille is a network of interconnecting triangular petals offering aerodynamic benefits.
Intricately designed, they remain closed when the car is at rest or when there’s a need to reduce drag during driving and open in a distinctive pattern to feed air into the radiator, allowing the Eletre to "breathe" when cooling of the electric motors, battery pack and front brakes is required.
The standard exterior colour for Eletre and Eletre S is Kaimu Grey, while the Eletre R comes in stunning Solar Yellow. At launch, there are six exterior colours to choose from – Natron Red, Galloway Green, Stellar Black, Kaimu Grey, Blossom Grey and Solar Yellow.
Inside, the Eletre is available in four individual seats or layout for five seats along with a fixed panoramic glass sunroof for a bright and spacious feeling.
The interior uses premium feel and highly durable man-made microfibres on the primary touchpoints, and an advanced wool-blend fabric on the seats.
It is 50% lighter than traditional leather, allowing for further weight savings, while hard materials are carbon fibre that are recycled fibres trimmed from the edge of the weave.
The driver-focused cockpit and high centre console are inspired by the Lotus Emira and Evija, creating a cossetted feeling.
Centre display is the latest in OLED touch-screen technology, a 15.1-inch landscape interface which provides access to the car’s advanced infotainment system.
Information can also be displayed to the driver via a head-up display featuring augmented reality (AR) technology, which is standard for all variants.
Every element of the Eletre can be controlled digitally with 95% of functionality available within three touches of the main screen. Voice control through advanced speech recognition technology is also available.
Lotus is also partnering with HERE Technologies to deliver integrated navigation services for the Eletre. The service includes EV Routing, EV Range Assistant and Predictive Routing, and can be updated via OTA updates.
In terms of audio system, the Eletre and Eletre R come standard with a 1,380-watt, 15-speaker KEF Premium setup with Uni-QTM and surround sound technology that delivers a more coherent and hyper-realistic sound experience. For more fun driving, the Eletre R also offers drivers the option of switching to sports motor sound.
The Eletre S is equipped with a 2,160-watt, 23-speaker KEF Reference system with Uni-Q, Uni-Core and surround sound technology that enables high-level performance while reducing the subwoofer or speaker volume significantly.
The Eletre is equipped with a comprehensive suite of intelligent Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), many of which are designed to be future-proofed so new features can be enabled via OTA updates.
All variants are available with Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), a driver monitoring system, Rear Collision Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), Front Cross Traffic Alert (FCTA), Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning / Prevention (LKA+), Blind Spot Detection, Traffic Sign Information (TSI), Front and Rear Park Assist, Visual Park Assist and Lotus Intelligent Dynamic Chassis Control.
The Eletre is also equipped with the world’s first deployable LIDAR system to support end-to-end autonomous driving technology and is future-proofed for further development, achievable because of the hardware that’s already integrated. Further capability can be added via OTA software updates, as and when allowed by local market regulations.
The Eletre is backed by a five-year / 150,000 km manufacturer’s warranty, while the battery is covered by an eight-year / 200,000 km warranty.
All Eletre customers have further opportunities to customise their cars to their requirements using option packs.
Those available at launch include the Lotus Dynamic Handling Pack, Ceramic Brake Pack, Executive Seat Pack, Comfort Seat Pack, Carbon Fibre Pack, Extended Carbon Fibre Pack and Interior Carbon Fibre Pack. Many options from the packs are also available individually.
Two Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) Packs are also available – the Parking Pack and a Highway Assist Pack.
Meaning "Coming to Life" in some Eastern European languages, the Eletre's naming convention follows the long line of Lotus rod cars whose names starts from ‘E’.
As of Jan 31, Lotus had received more than 5,000 Eletre orders worldwide.
Last month, Lotus Technology Inc delivered its first Eletre in Shanghai in conjunction with the 75th anniversary of the Lotus brand.
The first Eletre delivery marks a key milestone in Lotus'transformation into an advanced, fully electric, intelligent, and sustainable luxury mobility provider ahead of its 80th anniversary in 2028.
The company, owned by China's Geely, is now rolling out further deliveries across China, and will begin delivery in the UK and EU later this year.
LOTUS ELETRE SPECIFICATIONS
