Putting a gas engine in a car previously sold only as an EV is generally seen as good news by enthusiasts. Add a Lotus badge, and purists will inevitably talk about it. However, when the foundation is a large and heavy SUV, the excitement suddenly tapers off. Nevertheless, this Eletre is interesting for several reasons.
Not only is it the brand’s first plug-in hybrid, but it also has an unexpected name: For Me. It’s a moniker you’d normally expect on a car sold by a different Geely brand, Smart. Granted, the Chinese company owns only half of Smart, with the other half owned by Mercedes. This rebranded Eletre is making an early appearance via the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology as part of the homologation process. All new cars destined for sale in China appear on MIIT’s website.
The styling may be instantly familiar, but the plug-in hybrid setup is new. There’s now a turbocharged 2.0-liter gasoline engine that directly powers the wheels. Interestingly, the four-cylinder mill can also act as a generator to charge the battery. Speaking of which, the Eletre’s original 107.0-kilowatt-hour pack has been replaced by a smaller 70.0-kilowatt-hour unit.
As if the fully electric Eletre wasn’t already the opposite of Lotus founder Colin Chapman’s “Simplify, then add lightness” ethos, the For Me complicates things even further. The MIIT document shows the plug-in hybrid SUV weighs 5,787 pounds in its heaviest form. For reference, the electric model ranges from 5,654 lbs for the base version to 6,051 lbs for the Eletre R. So much for lightness…
The gas engine makes 275 horsepower and works with a pair of electric motors for a combined output of 952 hp. It hits 62 mph in 3.3 seconds and covers 261 miles (420 kilometers) on battery power alone. However, that range is based on China’s more forgiving CLTC test cycle. The battery can be charged from 30 to 80 percent in just eight minutes.
The official debut is scheduled for next month, and Lotus plans to sell the For Me outside China. It remains to be seen whether the European version will keep the same name or simply be marketed as the Eletre Hybrid or something similar. The company had previously promised to abandon gas engines by 2028, but the slower-than-expected rise of EVs has prompted a change of heart.
ICE will continue beyond that date, so it wouldn’t be surprising if the Emeya sedan also gets the PHEV treatment. Meanwhile, the smaller Emira sports car has already been confirmed to pair its V-6 engine with an electric motor for a plug-in hybrid version due in 2027.
Why is Lotus going through all this trouble with plug-in hybrids and EVs? Because it can’t survive on the gas Emira alone. A sports car is a niche product and can’t sell in sufficient numbers to sustain the business. SUVs and sedans are essential, and in an automotive world heavily shaped by stricter emissions regulations, electrification is unavoidable.
Lotus is caught between a rock and a hard place because the British brand built its reputation on low-volume, gas-powered cars. However, relying solely on the Emira and expecting the coupe to pay all the bills would be borderline suicidal.
Diversifying the lineup and inevitably broadening the powertrain portfolio with hybrids and EVs is the only way to keep the lights on. Without the Emeya and Eletre, combined with Geely’s backing, who knows where Lotus would be today.
Source: Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT)
