Lotus has enlisted the help of Geely to introduce Europe to Eletre X, a crossover SUV originally envisioned as a zero-emission vehicle but later reimagined as a versatile hybrid.
The Eletre X is mostly identical to the Lotus For Me model being sold in China, but comes with numerous chassis and powertrain tweaks to deliver the kind of experience that customers in Europe have come to expect, Lotus claims. It still looks pretty much the same on the outside, with slim LED headlights, flush door handles and sporty outlines.
At 5,103 mm (200.9 inches) long, 2,019 mm (79.5 inches) wide and 1,636 mm (64.4 inches) tall with 3,019 mm (118.9 inches) of wheelbase, the Eletre X is a full-size crossover.
Power for the wheels is sourced from a 2.0-liter internal combustion engine delivering 279 PS (275 hp / 205 kW) and two e-motors driving one axle each. The starting H550 spec produces 550 PS (542 hp / 405 kW) at most, while the range-topping H1000 outputs 952 PS (939 hp / 700 kW).
Note that the petrol engine may function as a power generator for the e-motors or join them in driving the wheels using what automakers these days call a Dedicated Hybrid Transmission, or DHT for short. It only has one speed.
The H550 sprints from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.9 seconds, and the H1000 manages the same in 3.3 seconds. The top speed does not exceed 230 km/h (143 mph). Lotus promises up to 350 kilometers (217 miles) in all-electric mode, WLTP-rated.
Sales in Europe are already ongoing. Prices in Germany start just under €97,000 for the H550 and €120,000 for the H1000.