Lotus Eletre Carbon: A Luxury Electric SUV Unbelievable Price Tag

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The Lotus Eletre has finally made its North American debut, but it's not coming cheap. The ultra-luxurious Eletre Carbon variant will initially set U.S. buyers back a staggering $229,900, a substantial increase from the previously announced starting price of $107,000. This price hike can be attributed primarily to tariffs imposed on Chinese-built EVs and the fact that the Eletre Carbon is a special edition launch model based on the most powerful R version.

Lotus Eletre Carbon

When Lotus first announced plans to launch the Eletre in the U.S., the Biden administration had yet to implement a significant increase in tariffs on Chinese-built EVs. This allowed Lotus to price the electric SUV competitively, making it a promising contender in the U.S. market. However, the tariff hike, announced shortly after the carmaker's original pricing release, forced Lotus to reevaluate its pricing strategy for the U.S. market.

The Eletre Carbon boasts a distinctive exterior with a new shade of black known as Stardust, featuring a satin finish and additional carbon fiber accents. It also offers a variety of other color options, including Stellar Black, Kaimu Grey, Solar Yellow, Akoya White, Galloway Green, Blossom Grey, and Cinnabar Red.

Lotus Eletre Carbon interior

Inside, the Eletre Carbon features a luxurious interior with three distinct leather colorways crafted by Bridge of Weir, charcoal Alcantara, and a carbon fiber steering wheel. The seats offer five different massage modes, and the vehicle includes complex ambient lighting and an intelligent panoramic glass roof that can switch between clear and opaque. Additionally, the usually-optional carbon ceramic brakes come standard on the Eletre Carbon.

Based on the highest-performance version of the SUV, known as the Eletre R, the Eletre Carbon is equipped with a 111.9 kWh battery pack and a pair of electric motors rated at a combined 905 horsepower and 985 Newton-meters of torque. It can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 2.95 seconds and has a top speed of 265 km/h.

Lotus Eletre

While Lotus announced the launch of the Eletre Carbon, there was no mention of lesser versions of the model, leaving uncertainty about the availability of the regular Eletre and Eletre R in the U.S. market. If these models do make their way to the U.S., their prices are likely to differ from the original estimates due to the increased tariffs. North American customers seeking a new Eletre will have the opportunity to customize their vehicle through the new Lotus Chapman Bespoke service.

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