Lotus Eletre X Goes On Sale in Europe With 952 PS — but No Path to the US Yet
The X-Hybrid SUV's final WLTP electric range is 305 km, short of June's target, and Chinese production still keeps it out of US showrooms.
Lotus's Eletre X is now on sale in mainland Europe, and the production car arrives with slightly less electric range than the company promised when it opened orders in June. The final WLTP figure is up to 305 km (190 miles) on battery power, down from the "up to 350 km" target Lotus quoted at the time. American buyers, meanwhile, still have no way to get one.
The Eletre X is the first car on what Lotus calls X-Hybrid, a plug-in setup built around a large battery rather than a gas engine. It is also the clearest sign yet of how far the brand has moved from its all-electric plan: the same company sells the 2,000-PS Evija hypercar through just three dealers in Europe, while betting its volume on a hybrid SUV.
An EV with a generator, and a direct-drive mode
A 70-kWh, 900-volt battery feeds two motors: 310 kW (416 hp) up front and 390 kW (523 hp) at the rear. A 2.0-liter turbo four drives a 150-kW (201-hp) generator that tops up the battery on the move. Below 85 km/h (53 mph), only the motors turn the wheels. Above that speed, the engine can also drive the front axle directly through a single-speed transmission, so it isn't a pure range extender.
Two versions are offered. The H550 makes 405 kW (543 hp) and reaches 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.9 seconds. The H1000 makes 700 kW (939 hp, or 952 PS) and does the same run in 3.3 seconds, and Lotus says it still manages 3.5 seconds with the battery at 10%. Both get 935 Nm (690 lb-ft) and a 52-liter (13.7-gallon) tank, for a claimed combined range of up to 1,200 km (746 miles).
Charging is quick for a hybrid. Lotus quotes 20 to 80% in about nine minutes on a 450-kW charger, with a peak of 436 kW, and 7.2 hours for a full charge at 11 kW AC.
How it stacks up
The obvious European rival is Porsche's Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid, which pairs a V8 with a 25.9-kWh battery and 739 PS, according to Porsche. The Eletre X H1000 carries nearly three times the battery capacity and more than 200 extra PS, starting at €119,990 in Germany before taxes and options. The H550 opens at €96,990. For the battery-only alternatives in this class, see how the AMG GT SUV compares with the Cayenne Turbo Electric.
The weight is the catch. At 2,615 kg (5,765 pounds), the H1000 is still heavy, and on an empty battery its WLTP fuel use rises to 7.56 L/100 km, or about 31 mpg. The headline 0.73 L/100 km assumes regular charging.
Inside, Lotus's Hyper OS software runs on Epic Games' Unreal Engine across a 15.1-inch mini-LED center screen, with extra touchscreens for the front passenger and rear seats.
Why the US is still off the table
Lotus builds the Eletre in China, and US tariffs on Chinese-made cars ended the electric version's American run after the 2025 model year, Lotus Americas CEO Massimiliano Trantini told MotorTrend, as reported by Motor1. In July, Nikkei Asia reported that Lotus is weighing US production of the Eletre X, possibly at Volvo's South Carolina plant, a fellow Geely-owned business. CFO Daxue Wang called that "one option" and said no decision had been made.
Lotus hasn't announced US plans or pricing for the Eletre X. Until it does, the Emira remains its only new model for American buyers, and the hybrid SUV meant to anchor its Focus 2030 strategy will take on rivals like the electric Range Rover Sport only in Europe and China. UK deliveries are due in summer 2027, pending right-hand-drive approval.
