Lotus has made a strategic pivot just as it seemed fully committed to an all-electric future. The iconic sports car manufacturer is revising its aggressive timeline, unveiling its first hybrid SUV: a powerful new iteration of the Eletre crossover, now called the Eletre For-Me.
This marks a new direction for Lotus. Originally intent on abandoning internal combustion entirely, the brand now embraces a transitional approach, recognizing the practicality of a hybrid phase. Instead of developing a completely new vehicle, Lotus has reengineered the existing Eletre to integrate a hybrid powertrain. Official images released by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology confirm the hybrid retains the sleek design of its electric predecessor.
Beneath the familiar exterior, the Eletre For-Me receives a significant update. Lotus combines a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, delivering 279 horsepower, with an electric drive system whose specifications remain undisclosed. Together, these power sources generate an impressive combined output of 952 horsepower—exceeding the 905 horsepower of the top-tier all-electric Eletre R.
The hybrid’s exterior remains almost identical to the standard Eletre, distinguishable only by a subtle "For-Me" badge on the rear decklid, a discreet nod to the addition of a combustion engine alongside the electric motors.
Dimensionally, the hybrid matches the fully electric Eletre exactly. This sleek SUV measures 16.7 feet long, 6.63 feet wide, and 5.38 feet tall, with a 9.91-foot wheelbase. The inclusion of a combustion engine adds weight, bringing the vehicle’s mass to between 5,677 and 5,787 pounds, depending on the variant.
The Eletre For-Me excels in efficiency thanks to its dual-mode capability. In pure electric mode, it achieves an impressive range of 214 to 221 miles under the Chinese CLTC testing cycle. When operating as a hybrid, fuel consumption is notably low, with figures as efficient as 0.0025 cubic feet per 62 miles (approximately 336 miles per gallon) according to WLTC standards.
Once the battery is depleted, the Eletre relies solely on its combustion engine, with fuel consumption increasing to 0.215 cubic feet per 62 miles (around 38.6 mpg), still a commendable figure for a high-performance SUV of this size. The hybrid variants retain Lotus’s advanced 900V electrical architecture, enabling ultra-fast charging capabilities. The battery can reportedly charge from 10% to 80% in just ten minutes.
The Eletre For-Me will debut in China, with Lotus confirming plans to introduce the plug-in hybrid to the European market as well. This model initiates a new hybrid lineup that includes a plug-in variant of the Emeya sedan, which shares the same platform, along with a smaller SUV expected in 2027. Lotus’s shift signals a commitment to a diversified powertrain strategy rather than a purely electric portfolio.
