Confirmed technical data is not yet available, but Lotus said the target is a top speed of 162 mph and a time of less than 3.0 seconds for the 0-62 mph sprint. Each Eletre will have a battery capacity of over 100 kWh and a power of over 592 hp. Maximum range is 348 miles and a full charge will be possible in 18 minutes from a 350 kW charger. Air suspension, active aerodynamics and active rolling height will be standard, while options will include active shock absorbers, active rear-wheel drive and torque vector via a limited-slip electronic differential. Lotus said that every Eletre will come “with great dynamics, great comfort and true Lotus performance”. Plan Eletre was designed at the Lotus Technology Creative Center (LTCC) in Coventry, Warwickshire – the company’s new lifestyle design hub, which opened four years ago and now has 120 staff. Sports cars are still being designed at Lotus headquarters in Hethel, Norfolk. It has a forward cab position, long wheelbase and very short front and rear protrusions. The solid hood reflects stylistic elements from the historic layout of Lotus’s mid-engined engine. LTCC head Ben Payne, who led Eletre’s design, said: “We tried to push the nose forward and have a very short hood and a very sharp nose, which help the product look longer, lower and more elegant than it really is. “ There are a lot of gestures in Lotus’ latest sports cars, including the sharp edges on the front, reminiscent of the Lotus Emira and Evija. The glass dome on the upper body is also intended to mimic Evija, Payne said. An important aerodynamic feature of the design, according to Lotus, is the “porosity” – the way air flows through the car as well as from below, above and around it, allowing less resistance and greater efficiency for range, speed and performance.
