- The Lotus Eletre electric SUV's U.S. starting price has risen from $107,000 to $229,900
- The first Eletre for the U.S. will be a special Carbon model packing 905 hp
- Eletre deliveries in the U.S. are expected to start in early 2025
Anyone considering a Lotus Eletre will need to prepare for a large serving of sticker shock.
The electric midsize SUV is available to reserve for U.S. buyers, and the starting price is $229,900, up from the $107,000 that was announced only last spring.
Granted, the previous starting price was for the regular Eletre while the new starting price is for an Eletre Carbon, the only model currently available to reserve in the U.S. The model's specifications match those of the Eletre R that was previously priced to start at $145,000.
That's still an $84,900 premium, which is almost certainly the result of the 100% tariff the U.S. introduced in May on Chinese-built EVs. While Lotus is famous for building sports cars in Hethel, U.K., the automaker's new “lifestyle” vehicles like the Eletre and recently revealed Emeya sedan are built in Wuhan, China.
The Chinese-built Volvo EX30 has also been affected by the tariffs. Volvo has delayed the U.S. launch until production of the electric subcompact crossover starts in Belgium.
Lotus Eletre Carbon
To help justify the price increase of the Eletre, Lotus has stuffed the Carbon model with plenty of premium features as standard. The model, which has only been announced for the U.S. and Canada, comes standard with things like Bridge of Weir leather trim, heated front seats with adjustable lumbar support and memory function, a steering wheel lined in Alcantara, and an electrochromic glass roof as a no-cost option.
The Carbon in the name comes from the addition of carbon-fiber accents for the exterior and cabin. The Eletre Carbon also gets a carbon-inspired Stardust black paint option with a satin finish, which Lotus said will be exclusive to the model.
There's also plenty of performance. Like the previously announced Eletre R, the Electre Carbon features a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system with a 2-speed transmission and a peak of 905 hp. Claimed performance includes a 0-62 mph time of 2.95 seconds and a top speed of 165 mph.
Lotus Eletre Carbon
A regular Eletre with a 603-hp rating will likely be launched later.
The battery offered in all Eletres is a 111.9-kwh unit that Lotus said can be charged from 10-80% in 20 minutes when using a DC fast charger with support for 350-kw charging. Lotus quotes a maximum range of 304 miles for the Eletre R in other markets, calculated using the WLTP test cycle used overseas, and the same should be the case for the Carbon. Expect lower figures when measured using the stricter EPA cycle.
U.S. deliveries of the Eletre Carbon are currently expected to start in the first quarter of 2025.
