The Chinese branch of Lotus is taking preorders for its first petrol-electric super-SUV, dubbed “For Me” for some reason. It commands 952 PS (939 hp / 700 kW) and starts from 528,000 Chinese Yuan (around $77,000 USD). A version for Europe is slated for debut in June.
It’s already official that the SUV will be known as Eletre X outside of China. This isn’t coincidental: the car is closely based on the company’s first fully electric model, the Lotus Eletre. As such, the exterior and the cabin are largely the same. Let’s take a closer look at the powertrain.
In China, the Lotus For Me is a serial hybrid that uses a 2.0-liter petrol engine to generate current for two e-motors. They send the aforementioned 952 metric horsepower to the wheels, taking the bulky SUV from standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.3 seconds. Reaching 200 km/h (124 mph) is a matter of 10.5 seconds, and the manufacturer-rated quarter-mile time is 11.16 seconds.
Once fully charged, the For Me has up to 355 km (220 miles) of range – at least, according to China’s somewhat lax standard. When fueled to the max, it can do up to 1,400 km (870 miles).
For the interior, you can order the SUV as a standard five-seater or request two separate seats in the back row. A 23-speaker audio system, a dimmable panoramic roof, a large infotainment display and a full ADAS package are all listed as available.
