Type 132 - Lotus Eletre

[Bibs]

I was there last night! 

 

[exeterjeep]

12 minutes ago, GuyT said:

Huge thanks to Jon at Sussex Lotus for a very warm welcome today

In that first pic, what's in the background? 

[Bibs]

@JB might like to answer that, he's having a very good day

 

 

[exeterjeep]

So if it is what I think it may be did you not get a picture of it as well??

[Bibs]

It arrived this morning... 

[GuyT]

Jon said you had your drone out @Bibs. 

@exeterjeep It's their demo Emira.  One of the first as I understand.  I would never have gone for black wheels but in the flesh it looked stunning and quality was impressive - better than Goodwood cars.

[JB]

14 minutes ago, exeterjeep said:

In that first pic, what's in the background? 

Its a black screen but behind it is an Evora 410 GT Sport and Final Edition 390 Exige

[GuyT]

Good to catch up and have a natter today Jon - appreciate your time.  No doubt, speak soon!

[Bibs]

@JB, this pic...

[exeterjeep]

12 minutes ago, GuyT said:

It's their demo Emira.  One of the first as I understand. 

It looked like it, but thought it was invisible for a day or so until all dealers get theirs?

[JB]

3 hours ago, GuyT said:

Good to catch up and have a natter today Jon - appreciate your time.  No doubt, speak soon!

👍 Yep great to catch up as always.

2 hours ago, exeterjeep said:

It looked like it, but thought it was invisible for a day or so until all dealers get theirs?

Yes that is our demo. Lotus guys here are more than happy for us to shout out we are one of the first to arrive. Got here at 7:30 ish this morning.

[eUKenGB]

Since it is now being showcased around dealers, surely full specs must be available. So what's the towing capacity?

[DarrylV8]

Have you asked Lotus for the towing capacity?

[exeterjeep]

It must have been seen at other dealers by now, any more views/opinions from anyone here?  Due in Exeter next week Mon/Tuesday. 

[eUKenGB]

23 hours ago, DarrylV8 said:

Have you asked Lotus for the towing capacity?

No I have not, but I do believe that a website should provide all the details and eliminate the need to contact the company to extract such fundamental information.

With production due to start this month for the Fisker Ocean, they are still being remarkably secretive about technical info for the car. But they have stated the towing capacity. 😀

If you don't want to tow anything, then this lack of info is of no importance. However, Lotus clearly believe some will want to do that, or else they wouldn't make a tow-hitch available. Unfortunately, how useful that will be totally depends on its homologated towing capacity, so it's information that should be readily available and included in the published specs. for the car.

[exeterjeep]

Has arrived in Exeter, and what a lorry it came in, plus all the other stuff. Looks like a pop group on tour or race car team with all the metal trunks etc.

[exeterjeep]

On 04/11/2022 at 14:23, DarrylV8 said:

Have you asked Lotus for the towing capacity?

I asked today, the guy had been asked that in Belgium, he said 2 tons, don't know if this if for all 3 versions.

@mayevorahas posted some pics on FB.

Car has a massive boot, and feels really big in the back but I could not get out of the front passenger door as the door release did not seem to be working. There were 6 paint samples on display to show what colours are available. Looking forward to see the 134.

[eUKenGB]

So just over 2,000 kg towing capacity. Certainly decent if not stunning.

I also would like to know more about the 134. I guess that'll be a long wait.

[exeterjeep]

The one in the showroom had a deployable towbar. Not seen though.

[mayevora]

[MPx]

4 hours ago, exeterjeep said:

The one in the showroom had a deployable towbar. Not seen though.

Interesting Keith, I am also very interested in towing if its to replace my SVAD so asked lots of q's about it.  I was told it was an option (obviously as I'd already seen it on the configurator) ... but not fitted to the car on show.  Also that the towing weight had not been finalised yet but is likely to be around 1.8 tonnes.  That's not quite enough for me - for car or plant trailer + machine - so would have been more encouraged to hear 2T +.

They did stress the pre-production nature of the car, so given that I thought it was very well finished, that bodes well for the potential feel/quality of the production version.  I think it telling that the screens and a couple of the functions (eg boot lifter, door releases) didn't work as they should, so clearly work in progress and the door switch gear was pretty plasticy, but overall a great showing.  Also things like the soft close doors, while excellent, were a bit more obvious than the same function in the Rangie, so not quite as sophisticated at this point in its developement, but very much on the right lines to be a real contender.  I was impressed.

[exeterjeep]

31 minutes ago, MPx said:

but not fitted to the car on show.

2 of the Lotus guys were discussing it, both said it was there, but the remote iPad sort of thing did not seem to have a button programmed to release it. As you say maybe it was not actually fitted. There was some discussion that if you pressed the button, would it swing suddenly round and take your knee caps/shins off. 

They said there are a couple of other Eletre's knocking around the factory in other colours. Seemed to a bit of confusion about the glass roof or not on all models, plus its auto dimming in the sun on the more expensive R There was no blind as one gets in the RR..

[MPx]

1 hour ago, exeterjeep said:

... would it swing suddenly round and take your knee caps/shins off. 

Ha ha!  If anything like the Rangie it takes an annoyingly long 10 secs or so to deploy through its 90 degree turn and twist accompanied by a fairly pathetic ding ding ding - so no chance of being caught out!  As the Eletre on show had exec rear seats, they didn't fold but the standard 5 seater does - good.  However, I do hope they aren't a powered fold as that's another problem nobody had that RR solved by making you stand at the back of the car with your pingy on a switch for 15 secs or so.  Whatever was wrong with the long serving clip release and manual fold I really don't know.  

[Bibs]

I was reading an article recently and the tow capacity of EV's is limited by the braking. As they regen for braking rather than use the mechanical brakes, there's a limit to what the battery can accept from the motors being in reverse and with more weight, this can be exceeded. I've seen my Kia regen just over 150kw under heavy braking and it's got a zero towing capacity but the car is already 1.8 tonnes without anything hooked onto it! 

[Barrykearley]

Does that mean they are gonna start make EV doors narrower and seat smaller to stop it being overloaded?

in all seriousness - this will be resolved by software and a tow bar that detects something is plugged in. Only time will tell - but a caravan will absolutely cripple the range.