Lotus Cars, a British Brand, owned and operated by a Chinese company, called Geely, have launched their flagship variants for India. With a legacy dating back to 1948, Lotus has switched gears and repositioned the brand with a focus on new product categories.
Amidst the brand’s official introduction to India, Lotus has unveiled the prices and specifications for the Eletre R electric SUV. Later in 2024, Lotus will bring the Emira into the market, their latest and final internal combustion sports car.
The Emira is a continuation of a long history of mid-engine highly acclaimed sports cars that Lotus became most famous for in the last decades.
Satya Bagla, Managing Director, Exclusive Motors India said- “We are excited to bring Lotus cars to India, where we envision a future dedicated to serving our customers with the best-in-class brands.
With extensive expertise in delivering bespoke experiences to our customers, our dedication lies in fostering excellence and enthusiasm throughout every journey, igniting the path forward with Lotus’s unparalleled spirit. Our cars are a fusion of cutting-edge technology and automotive artistry, offering a driving experience like no other.”
Since, it is a British luxury sports brand but owned and operated by Geely, India is currently considering a proposal to lower import taxes on British luxury EVs as part of the ongoing India-UK free trade agreement discussions.
 "Lotus Cars the Eletre")
Dominic Baumgart (Left), Head Of Aftersales (Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa, And India), Lotus Group, And Satya Bagla, MD, Exclusive Motors India, Unveil The Lotus Eletre ESUV, In New Delhi
More about Lotus’ debutantes
Three different versions of the car are available – Eletre, Eletre S and Eletre R – with the choice of two powertrains. Eletre and Eletre S feature the 450 kW / 60o bhp single-speed version, with a maximum range of 600 km. The Eletre R comes with the flagship 675 kW / 905 hp dual-speed system and a maximum range of 490 km.
Torque figures are 710 and 985 Nm respectively, delivering a 0-62 kmph performance of either 4.5 or 2.95 seconds. The 112 kWh battery for both versions has a charging time (10-80%) of just 20 minutes using a rapid charger.
As part of the Tech story, Lotus announced more details of its advanced ‘digital cockpit’ cabin on the Eletre, including the name of the Operating System – Lotus Hyper OS. Lotus is using ‘Unreal Engine’ technology from the gaming industry, allowing the Lotus User Experience / User Interface (UX/UI) team to create next-generation real-time 3D content and experiences. The Eletre boasts state-of-the-art processing power which includes two Qualcomm 8155 System-On-Chips.
A next-generation Digital Head Unit from global mobility tech company ECARX will debut on the Eletre. It reconfigures the user’s in-car experience by providing fully customisable displays, hosted on an advanced Driver Information Module (DIM), and ultra-slim floating one-billion-colour OLED touchscreen for more realistic graphics and a more futuristic visual effect.
The standard spec includes five drive modes, active air suspension, torque vectoring, matrix LED headlights, an active front grille and 22-inch 10-spoke forged wheels.
As standard, the Eletre comes with wireless smartphone charging, 12-way electrically adjustable front seats, four-zone automatic climate control and many other features.
The ‘intelligent cockpit’ infotainment system, which includes Apple CarPlay / Android Auto and a 1,380-watt, 15-speaker KEF Premium Audio, is operated via a centrally mounted 15.1-inch full High-Definition OLED centre screen.
All versions of the Eletre feature five seats as standard, with a four-seat version available as part of the Executive Seat Pack.
Also standard is the deployable LIDAR technology, a world-first in a production car which supports end-to-end autonomous driving (AD) technology. Integrated OTA software update capability ensures the system will be fully ready when individual market regulations allow for more advanced levels of AD.
The Eletre rides on 22-inch wheels as standard, though 20-inch and 23-inch are available. There are five different wheel designs and six colours of brake callipers. At launch, there are six exterior colours to choose from – Natron Red, Galloway Green, Stellar Black, Kaimu Grey, Blossom Grey and Solar Yellow.
The specifications include an active rear spoiler, configurable ambient lighting, illuminated side sills, soft door close, auto-dimming side mirrors and an air quality system. It also includes a 2,160-watt, 23-speaker KEF Reference Audio. The standard specification of the Eletre R also includes Lotus Dynamic Handling Pack, Carbon Fibre Pack, gloss black wheels, stainless steel sports pedals, black badging and high-performance tyres.
All Eletre customers have further opportunities to customise and personalise their car to their requirements using option packs. The optional part includes the Lotus Dynamic Handling Pack, Ceramic Brake Pack, Executive Seat Pack, Comfort Seat Pack, Carbon Fibre Pack, Extended Carbon Fibre Pack and Interior Carbon Fibre Pack.
Two Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) Packs are also available – the Parking Pack and a Highway Assist Pack.
Lotus Eletre, Eletre S and Eletre R, priced at INR 2.55 crore, INR 2.75 crore and INR 2.99 crore respectively.
More about Lotus
Lotus Cars is an iconic British producer of sports and racing cars. The first Lotus car was born in 1948 and in June 2017, Lotus Cars’ majority shares of 51% were owned by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group.
The original founder of Lotus, Colin Chapman, believed that lightness was key to the development of great sports cars.
This tradition lives on today with large amounts of power tucked into tiny packages, allowing for total driver command and control of the open road or the race track.
