Lotus Eletre X is really enjoyable, and this is unexpected

The X makes a real difference here. The Lotus Eletre X is the hybrid alter ego of the Eletre, a car that drew me some criticism because I have always liked it. The hybrid changes a lot, from the technical base to a few chassis adjustments. I drove it for around 1,000 km, mostly on the motorway from Munich to Zurich, including the Oberalp pass, so it covered both fast roads and mountain driving. Here is how it went.

Lotus Eletre X: our pros & cons

I admit I expected little, because my view of hybrids is usually quite prejudiced. The Eletre X is one of the models that is making me reconsider. It is not the Eletre for people who want a soundtrack (many people outside the trade asked me, I promise). It stays within the lifestyle side of the British brand, and I can say the combustion engine is barely audible, which is a relief, and when you do hear it, it does not stir any emotion.

This Eletre X is aimed at buyers who do not trust the already good electric range of the standard Eletre. It offers over 1,000 km of total range, with more than 240 km on electric power alone, even on the motorway and even at 130 km/h.

It is less sharp than the pure electric Eletre, because the hybrid adds complexity to the system. Even so, the Eletre X is a very large and spacious SUV that is very dynamic for those who want it and very comfortable at the same time.

In my view the H1000 is the one to consider. The H550 feels the weight more and is less involving, while the 1000 is more complete when it comes to driver assistance systems, has better road holding and still returns good consumption, especially given the total output. If you want the refined design of the new Lotus models in a large luxury SUV, I would put it on the shortlist.

Prices in Scandinavia

• Denmark: from 1,215,021 DKK;
• Sweden: from 1,099,000 SEK;
• Norway: from 1,449,000 NOK;

More electric than hybrid

The logic of the Eletre X is not to add an engine note to the brand’s electric SUV. The electric motors are always the main players, with a combustion engine that mostly plays a supporting role, which brings the Lotus hybrid close to a range extender.

A 70 kWh, 900 V battery feeds two electric motors, 310 kW at the front and 390 kW at the rear. The 2.0 litre four cylinder turbo works mainly as a 150 kW generator, and below 85 km/h the wheels are driven only by the electric motors. Above that speed the engine can connect directly to the front axle through a single speed transmission.

The claimed electric range is 305 km on the WLTP cycle, and the combined range reaches 1,200 km with the 52 litre tank. In my test I deliberately did the electric part on the motorway, going beyond 130 km/h and reaching a top speed of 205 km/h, and I still covered 240 km arriving with about 5% left.

H1000 and H550: the difference is noticeable

The Eletre X comes in two versions. The H550 has 405 kW (550 hp) and claims 4.9 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h. The H1000 rises to 700 kW (952 hp) and drops to 3.3 seconds. The weight difference on paper is small, 2,550 kg against 2,615 kg, but on the road the gap between the two is wider than the numbers suggest.

The H1000 is much more engaging. It responds promptly, pushes hard and gives the feeling of controlling its mass well. The H550 is less responsive and feels the weight more, especially when the pace rises. On the airfield track the acceleration of the H1000 leaves no doubt. The most interesting result, though, is stability: for an SUV of more than five metres, the Eletre X has really good handling.

The table below shows the two versions with the prices for Denmark, Sweden and Norway.

The descent from the Oberalp, partly on wet tarmac, was a useful test. Grip is very good. Even on damp asphalt, with Sport mode engaged and a brisk pace, the rear axle lost a little adhesion, but only because of the road surface. The car never gave an impression of instability and settled again immediately, with behaviour that is easy to read and easy to correct.

A touring SUV with a sporty side

The Eletre X belongs to the more lifestyle line of the new Lotus, like my beloved Emeya (the electric only one, which we drove from Munich to Rome), but it keeps a sportiness you can feel. Between Munich and Zurich, however, another impression prevails: this is a car made for people who want to travel in comfort. The interior quality is very good and the dimensions (5,103 mm long, 3,019 mm wheelbase) point in the same direction.

Ride comfort is high. The combustion engine is heard very little, in line with the electric first approach of the car. There is only one point to note on the acoustic side: the fairly large mirrors create a little aerodynamic noise. Up to 120 km/h the cabin stays very quiet anyway. The digital mirrors, as on the electric Eletre, reduce the wind noise only slightly.

Range and consumption

As mentioned, the real electric range passed 240 km, covered in real conditions and on the Autobahn too, against 305 km homologated. For many daily journeys, and for part of the longer trips, that means the combustion engine can be used only as a reserve.

Charging is also a strong point. On a 450 kW DC charger, Lotus claims about nine minutes to go from 20 to 80%, with a peak of 436 kW. On AC at 11 kW a full charge takes about 7.2 hours.

On consumption the experience differed between the two versions. On the H1000 the average settled between 7 and 8 litres per 100 km, an acceptable result for a 952 hp car. The homologated figure with a depleted battery is 7.56 l/100 km. On the H550 we could not keep consumption down, and at the moment I cannot explain the difference.

The infotainment still falls short

I hoped the Eletre X would bring an update, but the infotainment is still the same as in the other Lotus models. The weak points are the interface, which is unclear and has too many menus and submenus. The buttons on the steering wheel are also not intuitive and should be rethought. The problem is more evident on the H550, where some functions are missing and it is not clear what the controls are for.

The paddles behind the steering wheel help, at least in part, because they let you select the drive mode without going through the screen.