Episode Details

The Opposite of Simplify and Add Lightness

Lotus: The purveyor of lightweight sports cars and roadsters that offer a distilled driving experience. It's an automaker that prides itself on shedding every ounce possible to give the ultimate in driving engagement. Sadly, that's not the case anymore.

Today, Lotus has the Emeya electric four-door GT that weighs more than an Audi RS 7, and, of all things, a battery-powered crossover in the form of the Eletre. Neither of those cars follows Lotus founder Colin Chapman's ethos of 'simplify and add lightness,' as both weigh well over 5,000 lbs. Chapman must be rolling in his grave like a twin-cam engine.

Another Heavy Lotus Revealed

Over in China, Eletre has added a new model to its lineup that aims to expand the crossover's appeal. Lotus has added a plug-in hybrid version to quell any fears of range anxiety, and it produces more power than the pure-electric model.

The hybrid Eletre doesn't carry that name, though, at least in China. Over there, it's called the For Me, although it's likely global models will retain the Eletre nameplate. So, what's it packing?

It uses a 2.0-liter turbo engine mated to a pair of synchronous motors. It then gets a 70 kWh battery pack, which is sizable for a plug-in hybrid vehicle. The combined output is rated at 939 horsepower, which is more than the Eletre R's 892 hp. 0 to 60 mph is dispatched in under 3.5 seconds, and Lotus claims a maximum range of 880 miles from a full battery and full tank.

Tipping the Scales

Now, for the question of weight. According to Lotus, it weighs between 5,677 lbs and 5,787 lbs, depending on the trim chosen. The Eletre plug-in hybrid's main competitors are the Lamborghini Urus SE and the BMW XM, so it's a good time to compare their respective masses.

For the Urus SE, it tips the scales at 5,520 lbs, a fair bit lighter than the Lotus, which is a phrase we'd thought we'd never say. As for the XM, that one weighs in at staggering 6,062 lbs, so at least the Lotus can claim it's 'light' for a plug-in hybrid performance crossover.

Still, it's rather amusing that we now live in a world where a Lotus weighs about the same as a four-wheel drive Chevrolet Tahoe. For those curious, a Tahoe LS 4WD weighs 5,661 lbs, while an LT 4WD weighs 5,743 lbs.