Lotus Eletre launched in Malaysia, here’s all you need to know

Lotus Cars Malaysia, the sole distributor of the British sports car brand in the country, has finally launched the highly-anticipated electric SUV, the Eletre. It is touted as a new breed of pure electric SUVs, which comes loaded with performance-focused technology offering exceptional driving dynamics and outstanding comfort. It is also the most ‘connected’ Lotus ever.

“The Eletre is a progressive and exotic all-electric performance vehicle from an iconic performance car brand that will appeal to independent-minded and adventurous driving enthusiasts. A unique combination of exquisite design, exceptional dynamic performance and everyday usability, it is a compelling alternative for those who desire a true driver’s car but whose lifestyle demands something more practical than a traditional sports car,” said Tengku Ezan Ley, General Manager of Lotus Cars Malaysia.

2023 Lotus Eletre Price

Lotus Cars Malaysia offers the EV in three variants - base Eletre, Eletre S, and Eletre R. They are priced as below: 

Variants	Price
Eletre	RM 578,000
Eletre S	RM 648,000
Eletre R	RM 789,000

Included in the price is a 5-year/150,000 km warranty against manufacturing defects and an 8-year/200,000 km warranty for the battery. 

2023 Lotus Eletre Exterior

The all-new Lotus Eletre boasts a futuristic design ‘carved by air’ created under the direction of  Ben Payne. It has a cab-forward stance with short overhangs, and a long wheelbase, giving it a light and high-riding sports car appearance. The signature design element is its "porosity," with exit vents on the bonnet and at various other places, which not only adds to the EV’s efficiency but also lends it a chiselled and muscular look.

Equipment-wise, the exterior is kitted with the following bits -

• Matrix LED headlamps with a high beam spot
• LED daytime running lights
• LED side lights
• LED fog lights
• LED reverse light
• Welcome home lighting
• Powered hands-free tailgate with opening height memory
• Heated washer jets
• Fixed gloss black aluminium roof
• Auto-dimming side mirrors (Eletre S and Eletre R)
• Rear privacy glass (Eletre S and Eletre R)
• Soft door close (Eletre S and Eletre R)
• Carbon Pack (Eletre R) 
• Black six-piston callipers (different colour options for the Eletre S and Eletre R)

The EV rides on 22-inch 10-spoke silver diamond forged alloy wheels shod with Pirelli P-Zero tyres as standard. However, with the mid-spec Eletre S, the same wheels are sprayed with grey. The range-topping Eletre R, on the other hand, exclusively comes with 22-inch 10-spoke gloss black forged alloy wheels wrapped with Pirelli P-Zero CORSA performance tyres. For those who want more personalisation, the automaker offers a total of five designs for wheels to choose from.

The 2023 Lotus Eletre colour palette includes - Natron Red, Galloway Green, Stellar Black, Kaimu Grey, Blossom Grey and Solar Yellow.

2023 Lotus Eletre Dimensions

The dimensions of the Lotus Eletre are as follows -

Length	5,103 mm
Width (with door mirrors)	2,231 mm
Height	1,636 mm
Wheelbase	3,019 mm
Ground clearance	194 mm
Weight	2,490 kg

2023 Lotus Eletre Interior

Inside this premium electric SUV, we get a five-seat configuration, a performance-oriented and technical design, and lots of sustainable materials. Among the ley inclusions are -

• 15.1-inch full HD OLED display
• Lotus Hyper OS
• Augmented Reality head-up display
• Heated front seat
• 12-way adjustable front seat including memory and driver greeting function
• Four-zone automatic climate control
• Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
• 1,380-watt KEF Premium Audio system with 15 speakers (2,160-watt, KEF Reference system with 23 speakers on the Eletre S and Eletre R)

• Wireless charging system
• Auto dimming frameless rear view mirror
• Heated multi-function steering wheel
• Height adjustable front seat belts (4 levels)
• Electrically adjustable front & rear air vents
• Keyless start
• Illuminated side sills (Eletre S and Eletre R)
• Ambient lighting (Eletre S and Eletre R)
• Stainless steel sports pedals (Eletre R)
• Sports motor sound (Eletre R)

2023 Lotus Eletre Powertrain, Range, and Charging

Specs	Eletre	Eletre S	Eletre R
Powertrain	Dual-motor		Dual-motor
Max power	603 hp		905 hp
Max torque	710 Nm		985 Nm
Transmission	Single speed		Dual-speed
0-100 kmph acceleration	4.5 seconds		2.95 seconds
Top speed	258 kmph		265 kmph
Battery	112 kWh		112 kWh
Range	600 km		490 km

All the variants of the Eletre come equipped with a dual-motor, AWD powertrain setup delivering two different levels of output. The base and mid-spec S make 605 hp and 710 Nm while the output of the Eletre R is rated at 905 hp and 985 Nm. Hitting the century sprint in 2.95 seconds only, the latter is claimed as the world’s fastest dual-motor fully electric SUV. Just like the motor setup, the battery capacity of all versions remains the same at 112-kWh. 

Equipped with 800-volt electrical architecture, the EV supports up to 350 kW of DC fast charging, which juices up the battery from 10 to 80% only in 20 minutes. However, when using the 22 kW AC charging, it will take around 6-7 hours. 

2023 Lotus Eletre Driving Dynamics

Helping the EV in delivering exceptional dynamics, outstanding comfort and true Lotus performance are the following bits - 

• Five drive modes - Range, Tour, Sport, individual and Off-road
• Multi-link front and rear suspension
• Active Air suspension
• Adjustable regenerative braking
• Torque vectoring by brake
• Continuous damping control
• Electric assisted power steering
• Lightweight disc brakes
• Front towing hook
• Locking wheel nuts

2023 Lotus Eletre  Safety

As for safety, the British Hyper SUV comes packed with a bag full of advanced driver assistance systems equipped with LIDAR tech, ensuring the safety of passengers as well as other road users. The pack comprises -

• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Rear Collision Warning
• Front Cross Traffic Alert
• Rear Cross Traffic Alert
• Driver monitoring system
• Blind Spot Detection
• Traffic Sign Information
• Lane Keep Assist
• Lane Departure Warning/Prevention
• Front and Rear Park Assist
• Visual Park Assist
• Lotus Intelligent Dynamic Chassis Control

2023 Lotus Eletre Customisation Packs

The automaker also offers additional opportunities to customise the EV according to specific requirements. The optional packs include -

• Lotus Dynamic Handling Pack
• Ceramic Brake Pack
• Executive Seat Pack
• Comfort Seat Pack
• Carbon Fibre Pack
• Extended Carbon Fibre Pack
• Interior Carbon Fibre Pack
• Parking Pack
• Highway Assist Pack 

The initial demand for Eletre in Malaysia has been remarkable with 140 orders already received by the automaker. However, with only 200 units available for the entire year, interested buyers will need to act quickly to grab one!

Also read: Jaguar I-Pace & its impressive in-car tech