There’s been a lot of talk about the new slew of Chinese EVs that are headed for Canada, following a protectionist tariff being struck down. People are speculating about what this new slew of cars from behind the Great Wall will look like, with a lot of new names like BYD and Chery entering the fray. We were recently afforded a chance to check out one of these new Chinese EVs, but it comes from a brand you probably already recognize: Lotus. This is the 2026 Lotus Eletre; a new, all-electric, luxury SUV from the storied British sports car marque, made in China.
A quick sidebar about sanctity
A luxury electric SUV from the same car company that’s famous for lightweight, purist driver’s cars seems like a bit of an oxymoron, and maybe even blasphemous to their devout followers.
I’m not here to debate heresy, but I’d just like to add it was also decried when Porsche, maker of quirky air-cooled sports and race cars, announced a (blegh) water-cooled (barf) luxury SUV in the form of the Cayenne some twenty-odd years ago, and it’s since been so insanely successful for the brand that they’ve become a massive corporate juggernaut and have been able to build more sports cars than ever.
The same goes for Lamborghini, which has had a string of record years and growing sports car sales following the debut of the Urus SUV. BMW is known for their sports sedans, but the products that print all the money to pay for those fun projects are their SUVs. If this gives Lotus a chance at success and helps them spread the good gospel of driving magic, I’ll allow it.
Proper car geeks will note that this isn’t Lotus’s first heavyweight, forward-thinking luxury vehicle, anyway.
First in line
Lotus was in a prime position to launch the Eletre immediately after the tariffs fell, because they sort of already launched it. This was supposed to launch two years ago. They went through the whole process of getting it homologated and approved with Transport Canada already. It was ready to go here, and variants of this and other electric Lotii have been transacting (well) around the world. But, due to the aforementioned tariffs, it was virtually impossible for it to be competitive on price, so it was shelved… until now.
The Eletre is built in China, in a new facility shared with their corporate parent, Geely. All of the interior and exterior design was done by Lotus in the UK, with some technology being borrowed from Geely, and engineering being a collaboration between the two firms, with the aim to create the best of both worlds, now priced appropriately to succeed.
Powertrain, range, and charging
There will be three models of Eletre at launch: Eletre (base), Touring, and Sport. All are powered by a 112 kWh lithium-ion battery, that feeds dual motors producing 603 horsepower, and 524 foot-pounds of torque, aided by a 2-speed transmission. This is a very modern battery built on a 800-volt architecture, and can handle up to 355 kW on a DC fast charger, juicing up from 10-80% in 20 minutes.
More impressive in practical terms is the robust 22 kW on-board AC charger, allowing for brisk ‘slow’ charging on a conventional Level 2 unit you’re likely to have at home. To put that into some context, the Polestar 3 has an 11 kW on-board unit, and it’s perfectly adequate.
Cruising range for the Lotus Eletre is (EPA) estimated at 465 kilometers.
Chassis Tricks
Lotus threw the book at this thing. Four wheel steering, active aero, active sway bars, dual-chamber air suspension (able to independently adjust spring rate and height) with continuously variable dampers, AP racing 6-piston brakes, and it goes on.
Much of the chassis and its components are aluminum to help reduce weight wherever possible, and at just over 5,600 pounds, it’s relatively lithe for a good-size SUV with a big battery.
It is a Lotus after all, it has to handle well.
Exterior and interior design
It looks the part of a Lotus, sharing some design cues with the Emira, like the lighting treatments and deeply scalloped vents in the hood. It sits low and wide, with an imposing silhouette, the body just barely tucked over the massive 23-inch wheels at the far corners. Along with the requisite neutrals, the Eletre will be available in traditional Lotus colors - Solar Yellow and Galloway Green - to fully look the part.
The cabin of the Eletre is most impressive, being clean and forward thinking, with what feels like excellent quality switchgear and materials. It’s tech-forward by design, but not annoyingly so, with most essential features having some means of physical control.
(self) Driving tech and infotainment
The centerpiece of the cabin is the 15.1-inch central touchscreen, with a sharp, vibrant display and snappy responses. In my short time at the helm, it was easy enough to learn and do what I wanted to do; not always the case with a new system. The map software, provided by Here, works exceptionally well, as it's able to use elevation, traffic data, and ambient temperature to incorporate accurate range estimates into navigation.
Part of the screen is reserved for displaying the surrounding readout; the Eletre is equipped with front and rear LiDAR arrays, along with a raft of cameras and radars to see the world around it with extraordinary precision.
Not only is it able to see different types of traffic, but it can also see lines in the road, road signs, bikes, pedestrians, and even pylons. It is one of the most sophisticated set of digital eyes in any car, and the hardware is capable of Level 4 autonomous driving. Admittedly the software isn’t there yet, but you still get robust assisted driving tech for now.
I especially enjoy the slim, artfully integrated displays that make up the gauge cluster and a passenger readout; there’s no new tech here, it’s just very pretty and nicely done, and I like that sort of thing. Along those lines, I like the optional electrochromatic variable-opacity glass moonroof, and the curious four paddles behind the steering wheel; regen up/down on the left, and drive mode up/down on the right.
It’s impressive how much is packed into the Eletre, and just as impressive that it’s not an overbearing tech demo, but actually has some real personality and charm, with tip-top quality of execution.
On the road
This preview event was hosted in downtown Toronto, which is… not exactly an idyllic locale to flex what a Lotus can do. It was a pretty ideal scenario to demonstrate its incredible assisted driving potential, it’s exceptionally quiet ride (aided by active noise cancelling from the KEF sound system), and its composed ride despite the sad state of Front Street.
I did get a brief stint on the highway in the Eletre, and was able to sorta-kinda goose it through the ribbons of ramps that tie Bayview and Bloor to the DVP. I can’t provide a ton of detail on the finer points of how it balances itself exiting a corner, but I can say it’s agile, well-connected to the driver, fast, and has the potential to be really enjoyable. Despite all the influence and adopted tech from Geely, it is still a Lotus.
Money and availability
This was a big issue for the Eletre under the previous tariffs that ultimately forced it off the market here before it even got started. Not only is that solved now, but it’s quite aggressively priced, starting at $119,900, with the Touring and Sport trim levels adding ten grand each to that total. These are due to start arriving this September.
An even higher performance trim level called the Carbon (pictured) with a brain scrambling 905 horsepower will start at $179,900, and that is due next year. If you really want one of those mind-melting Lotuses early, a very limited run of 24 cars are allocated for Canada as sort of a first edition, and they are available to order now.
Wrap it up
The 2026 Lotus Eletre is not what you’d think of when you think of a Lotus, and it’s not really what first comes to mind when thinking about new Chinese EVs, either. Nonetheless, it is coming, it seems very promising, it is bristling with the same tech that’s scaring legacy OEMs, and it is aggressively priced. They were cagey about specific production estimates, but it’s already selling well overseas, and they're projecting to double their dealership count in Canada within a year. Time will tell if it works, but hey: it worked for everyone else.
