Lotus Eletre Arriving at U.S. Dealers with a Starting Price of $107,000

Lotus is gearing up to meet the demands of American consumers eagerly anticipating the arrival of the Eletre SUV. This electric SUV will be available in two options for the U.S.

market: the entry-level version and the R model, both featuring dual motors and a 111.9-kWh battery with 800-volt architecture for rapid charging. Although the mid-range Eletre S is offered in other regions, it will not be available in the U.

S. This decision may stem from the American market's preference for luxury brands offering a high standard of features. The pricing details for the models, excluding destination charges, are as follows: - Eletre: $107,000 - Eletre R: $145,000 The base Eletre model boasts a total output of 603 horsepower and 710 pound-feet of torque, accelerating its roughly 5,500-pound weight from 0 to 62 mph in 4.

5 seconds, with a top speed of 160 mph. On the other hand, the Eletre R model delivers a combined 905 hp and 985 lb-ft, allowing it to accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 2.95 seconds, with a top speed slightly higher at 165 mph.

The base model comes with six-piston front calipers, while the R model features 10-piston front calipers. Standard features include seven customizable interior screens, a KEF audio system, adaptive suspension, and an ADAS suite powered by Nvidia chips integrating data from 12 cameras, 18 radar units, and four LIDAR arrays. In our initial review of the Lotus Eletre, we expressed, "After spending a couple of days behind the wheel of the Lotus Eletre, we're left with almost as many questions as we started with.

" The pricing range of the Lotus Eletre brings another dimension of interest, positioning it as the third sports-oriented SUV in its price category. It competes with models like the Porsche Macan 4 EV, Maserati Grecale Folgore, Audi Q8 Sportback E-Tron, and Genesis Electrified GV70. Other competitors in this segment focus more on luxury or off-road capabilities, such as the Mercedes-EQS SUV, Hummer EV SUV, and Rivian R1S.

Lucid is also set to introduce the Gravity SUV to this market before the year's end, setting the stage for numerous comparison tests in early 2025.