Lotus Eletre, electric suv becomes plug-in hybrid

Change of strategy at Lotus. No return to super-light sportscars but goodbye to 100% electric from 2028 as announced in the past. As announced at the end of last year, the British brand owned by the Chinese Geely group reverses course, starting with the Eletre suv and presenting a plug-in hybrid version in China. Christened For Me, it adds a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine that either powers the wheels directly or supplies energy to the 70 kW battery, capable of guaranteeing a range in all-electric mode of 420 kilometres according to the Chinese homologation standard, which can be translated into about 350 km with Wltp homologation.

Thanks to the combination of the 275-horsepower combustion engine and the pair of electric motors, the Lotus Eletre plug-in hybrid reaches a total output of more than 950 horsepower and promises to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.3 seconds. True supercar time, especially when combined with a weight of an impressive 2,625 kilograms, as indicated on the website of the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Technological Information (Miit). Another very interesting statistic comes from the recharging time to go from 30 to 80 per cent, just eight minutes thanks to the 900 volt platform. Expected to go on sale outside China as well, the For Me could take on the name Eletre Hybrid or Super Hybrid in Europe, given its currently unrivalled electric mileage in the Old Continent.

After saying goodbye to an all-electric range from 2028, Lotus has turned to a 100% plug-in range from the same year. This choice will lead to the debut of a phev version of the Emira coupe, increasing its power from the current 406 horsepower of the V6 version but at the same time increasing its overall weight. Certainly a choice contrary to the philosophy of founder Colin Chapman, who had made lightness an industrial philosophy, but probably necessary for the survival of the British brand.