Eletre Ownership - 2 weeks in......

[twentysix]

So - finally took delivery of Eletre S in the run up to Christmas. Just thought I'd share a few thoughts on here, hopefully interacting with fellow owners and expanding knowledge of the car at the same time!

First up, I love the car. It looks class and it drives really well. Feels more sports car than SUV in my mind and that's right down to the slightly firm ride on UK streets, which I am used to anyway. The interior is lovely and so well finished. The KEF sound system, is indeed, amazing. Surround camera system is excellent and very accurate with a fantastic picture in the centre console. It is massive inside - I have three teenage girls who all say it is spacier and comfier than any previous SUV they've been in eg. Cayenne.

BUT - there are a few things absolutely melting my head with it!!

Firstly - The key card is the most over engineered piece of crap I have ever seen in my life. It's so easy to forget/lose. Mine came with 2 and NO FOB! This means that to open any door or the boot, I have touch the stupid card to the side pillar of the car. So annoying when you have shopping/ want to open passenger door only/boot. I have had to order fobs via the dealership, but to be honest, they should bin the stupid card and go back to a 'normal' clicker type key like all other vehicles!

Speed/Lane Alert - Honestly, if there isn't a software update soon to stop this being an issue, it'll be me close to leaving the thing back! Having to go into the menu EVERY time I get in the car and turn off the Lane Assist and Speed Warning system is a complete nightmare. I don't mind the visual alerts, but the incessant beeping if you forget to do so is a real issue. 

HUD - I don't know if this is specific to my own car itself, or if anyone else is having this issue, but the HUD panel is squeaking 24/7 when driving. So much so that I have had to leave back to dealer to look at it today. May just be bad luck on my part, but interested to hear if anyone else has issues. 

Radio/Multimedia - When I get into the car the radio will not automatically come on when I set off. Again I have to use the menu. In the same vain, the car will not turn off any multimedia, even when you get out. It waits until you've presented the dreaded key card to the pillar again!

Range - I have to agree with the recent Harrys Garage review. The range is nowhere near advertised. If you travel on motorway at speed limit, I am getting just over 200 miles at a push. Very disappointing. 

 

I am hopeful that the much promised updates - including Apple Car Play, which is ridiculous to not be on it already - help with a lot of the above issues. As I said, it is a lovely car and drives so well. My Taycan got a few updates in the garage over the years by Porsche, which improved its efficiency and miles range. Hopefully Lotus will do the same. 

 

[C8RKH]

6 minutes ago, twentysix said:

Speed/Lane Alert - Honestly, if there isn't a software update soon to stop this being an issue, it'll be me close to leaving the thing back! Having to go into the menu EVERY time I get in the car and turn off the Lane Assist and Speed Warning system is a complete nightmare.

You need to check but I am sure this legislated by the EU for new cars now, and we decided to just follow them in the UK on it. I doubt you can blame Lotus in this instance as I am sure they will have implemented to the legislation to get the car type approved so they could sell it.

[da2001]

got no problems at all with the HUD.

The speedlimit is eu law from now. every car needs this and you are not allowed to turn that off by default.
Tesla has a nice tweak. the speed signs in the display got a small speaker and you just need to click that. its just one click to mute it. Lane alert is total annoying. indeed.

can´t wait for the update aswell. 

[exeterjeep]

15 minutes ago, twentysix said:

it'll be me close to leaving the thing back! Having to go into the menu EVERY time I get in the car and turn off the Lane Assist and Speed Warning system is a complete nightmare

As @C8RKH indicates all new cars that want a high  NCAP rating  have to have, this on each time and then you have turn it off every trip . This comes up on all forums I have been on, just hope that they may  make it easier to turn off? Did read that a later version of NCAP may prevent it being turned off at all.

Ideally folks would want a computer tool to hack into the start options to turn this crap off unless you want to turn it on.

In my wife's car the lane stuff stays off, but I am sure the next version will be different and drive her bonkers.

[Bibs]

Firstly, welcome and congraulation on the new car, I'm glad you're enjoying it in the main. 

It should have come with a fob, speak to whoever you bought it through about that and also the squeaky HUD panel, that's a warranty issue. 

It's a trend now that cars semi-turn off when you open the door and the Eletre only fully turns off when locked. Weird but that's what they want it to do. 

I've mentioned a few times that the range is determined on a mix of driving including town driving which uses the brakes to regen. On a motorway, not only are you using more energy to maintain the speed but you get pretty much zero regen so can lose up to a third of the miles. In the summer, with town driving you'll see the WLTP range and sometimes more! 

Software updates will of course help with this - they'll be analysing the real world data and adjusting accordingly. I still get software updates on my now 14 year old Evora when it goes in for a service. 

[aquiss]

1 hour ago, twentysix said:

Firstly - The key card is the most over engineered piece of crap I have ever seen in my life. It's so easy to forget/lose. Mine came with 2 and NO FOB! This means that to open any door or the boot, I have touch the stupid card to the side pillar of the car. So annoying when you have shopping/ want to open passenger door only/boot. I have had to order fobs via the dealership, but to be honest, they should bin the stupid card and go back to a 'normal' clicker type key like all other vehicles!

That's very odd. The car should have come with 1 Fob and 1 Card, as is the current delivery method at handover.

The card is basically there for guest use, so you can give it to a friend or family member, but still in control of the important fob yourself.

1 hour ago, twentysix said:

Radio/Multimedia - When I get into the car the radio will not automatically come on when I set off. Again I have to use the menu. In the same vain, the car will not turn off any multimedia, even when you get out. It waits until you've presented the dreaded key card to the pillar again!

Already been picked up on.

The audio options within EU/UK spec cars is light currently. Expect this to be padded out in the next update, when we move from 1.0.0C to a high version (in China they are already on 1.3.* and beta testing 1.4.*)

[mg4lotus]

Would a pair of wire cutters to the beeper stop it from beeping? 😉

[twentysix]

2 hours ago, mg4lotus said:

Would a pair of wire cutters to the beeper stop it from beeping? 😉

🤣😂🤣😂

It might come to that. Totally understand it’s an EU driven requirement. But it’s incredibly annoying!

[C8RKH]

If only we'd left a few years earlier. Ho hum.  

[Frickin_idiot]

46 minutes ago, C8RKH said:

If only we'd left a few years earlier. Ho hum.  

We’d still follow every rule

[RogEletre]

Looking forward to picking mine up in a couple of weeks.

Agree the speed limit is incredibly annoying but, as I understand it, legally it only must be visual and audio is optional?  You can easily ignore the little flashing sign (I don’t notice it in my temp Polestar 2 anymore and that doesn’t enforce audio).

We really need a software ‘fix’ for that although Dealer told me if you don’t visit the settings menu again after you turn it off it remembers the last menu so it’s two clicks.  Perhaps a shortcut button on the main screen could be side loaded?

Range is a huge issue for me and obviously it differs significantly on Motorway compared with Regen but not to 30/40%.  Have to say I am a little worried as will be running 180 mile round trip into London and it needs to do that with ease to be any use for £130k!  Especially with an R - is it suggested you only get 180 miles real world?!

I assume lots of the Chinese testing will lead to us getting more rapid fixes to major Nav and Audio issues.  Hopefully range etc too….

 

 

[Bibs]

@twentysix, who supplied your car please? Was it Charles Hurst?

[aquiss]

13 hours ago, RogEletre said:

We really need a software ‘fix’ for that although Dealer told me if you don’t visit the settings menu again after you turn it off it remembers the last menu so it’s two clicks.  Perhaps a shortcut button on the main screen could be side loaded?

As soon as the car is locked / turned off, the these settings revert back sadly. So whilst many settings do remember the previous state, these options don't.

[da2001]

13 hours ago, RogEletre said:

i assume lots of the Chinese testing will lead to us getting more rapid fixes to major Nav and Audio issues.  Hopefully range etc too….

in theory. but atm china has a quite different software version. 

[Footie]

On 03/01/2024 at 13:40, twentysix said:

So - finally took delivery of Eletre S in the run up to Christmas. Just thought I'd share a few thoughts on here, hopefully interacting with fellow owners and expanding knowledge of the car at the same time!

First up, I love the car. It looks class and it drives really well. Feels more sports car than SUV in my mind and that's right down to the slightly firm ride on UK streets, which I am used to anyway. The interior is lovely and so well finished. The KEF sound system, is indeed, amazing. Surround camera system is excellent and very accurate with a fantastic picture in the centre console. It is massive inside - I have three teenage girls who all say it is spacier and comfier than any previous SUV they've been in eg. Cayenne.

BUT - there are a few things absolutely melting my head with it!!

Firstly - The key card is the most over engineered piece of crap I have ever seen in my life. It's so easy to forget/lose. Mine came with 2 and NO FOB! This means that to open any door or the boot, I have touch the stupid card to the side pillar of the car. So annoying when you have shopping/ want to open passenger door only/boot. I have had to order fobs via the dealership, but to be honest, they should bin the stupid card and go back to a 'normal' clicker type key like all other vehicles!

Speed/Lane Alert - Honestly, if there isn't a software update soon to stop this being an issue, it'll be me close to leaving the thing back! Having to go into the menu EVERY time I get in the car and turn off the Lane Assist and Speed Warning system is a complete nightmare. I don't mind the visual alerts, but the incessant beeping if you forget to do so is a real issue. 

HUD - I don't know if this is specific to my own car itself, or if anyone else is having this issue, but the HUD panel is squeaking 24/7 when driving. So much so that I have had to leave back to dealer to look at it today. May just be bad luck on my part, but interested to hear if anyone else has issues. 

Radio/Multimedia - When I get into the car the radio will not automatically come on when I set off. Again I have to use the menu. In the same vain, the car will not turn off any multimedia, even when you get out. It waits until you've presented the dreaded key card to the pillar again!

Range - I have to agree with the recent Harrys Garage review. The range is nowhere near advertised. If you travel on motorway at speed limit, I am getting just over 200 miles at a push. Very disappointing. 

 

I am hopeful that the much promised updates - including Apple Car Play, which is ridiculous to not be on it already - help with a lot of the above issues. As I said, it is a lovely car and drives so well. My Taycan got a few updates in the garage over the years by Porsche, which improved its efficiency and miles range. Hopefully Lotus will do the same. 

 

The range thing does bother me because it sounds significantly worse than what I experience with my current i4M50, I find motorway driving I lose about 25% tops but a third isn’t great. Would love to know how you are finding the range in my normal driving to see if it improves quite a bit.

I see you mentioned a Taycan, we have one too but where as Harry said 3.0mile/KW we only ever seen 2.3mile/KW and currently it more like 1.9mile/KW all country/town driving. BTW won’t have another Porsche, more issues than enough with that thing.

On a different subject, the fob that comes with the car looks huge, reminds me of the size of the key I got with my previous M5, totally impractical and needs some way of attaching to a keyring.

 

[RogEletre]

1 hour ago, aquiss said:

As soon as the car is locked / turned off, the these settings revert back sadly. So whilst many settings do remember the previous state, these options don't.

It’s only software - just need someone to ‘fix it’ 🙂

 

super annoying until then.  Is Lane Keep Assist  the same - that’s super dangerous on narrow country roads with potholes (where I will be) so that should be able to be turned off as that’s a significant safety issue if forced on?

1 hour ago, da2001 said:

in theory. but atm china has a quite different software version. 

I believe they are 1.3x as opposed to us on 1.0.0?  Assume they are using closed shop feedback to get things right before releasing to rest of world.

[Bibs]

I would have thought that LKA would struggle to recognise the lane on a narrow country road so keep itself turned off anyway? They really need white lines, a centreline and ideally traffic in front to recognise the lane correctly.

[RogEletre]

1 hour ago, Footie said:

The range thing does bother me because it sounds significantly worse than what I experience with my current i4M50, I find motorway driving I lose about 25% tops but a third isn’t great. Would love to know how you are finding the range in my normal driving to see if it improves quite a bit.

I see you mentioned a Taycan, we have one too but where as Harry said 3.0mile/KW we only ever seen 2.3mile/KW and currently it more like 1.9mile/KW all country/town driving. BTW won’t have another Porsche, more issues than enough with that thing.

On a different subject, the fob that comes with the car looks huge, reminds me of the size of the key I got with my previous M5, totally impractical and needs some way of attaching to a keyring.

 

On this key card fob etc thing - can you not just use your phone and low energy Bluetooth/proximity as I do on my Polestar?  App is basic but super functional with remote unlock, heat, range and charge status and location.

Finally, does anyone have a copy of the Owners Handbook in PDF as I am super boring and like to read it cover to cover haha 

[aquiss]

1 minute ago, RogEletre said:

It’s only software - just need someone to ‘fix it’ 🙂

 

super annoying until then.  Is Lane Keep Assist  the same - that’s super dangerous on narrow country roads with potholes (where I will be) so that should be able to be turned off as that’s a significant safety issue if forced on?

I believe they are 1.3x as opposed to us on 1.0.0?  Assume they are using closed shop feedback to get things right before releasing to rest of world.

I completely agree and I've had my car since the start of November. So far, not a single software fix has been deployed to UK or EU market cars (yet we have Miles to KPH conversation issues going on in places...which I would have thought needed fixing quickly) yet China has had regular updates from what I have seen.

Feedback certainly seems to be closed or not coming from our markets. My emails to customer services never get replies.

7 minutes ago, RogEletre said:

Finally, does anyone have a copy of the Owners Handbook in PDF as I am super boring and like to read it cover to cover haha 

The manuals we appear to access to, appear to be developing, like a child going through its early life....in English format it seems they update and change things daily....basically it's not finished

[Footie]

This is one of my main concerns switching to the Lotus over one of the bigger main branded names, despite Polestar being owned by the same Chinese company their updates are quite regular from what I hear and the three models I have been debating over was this, the Macan EV and the Polestar 3, I know the Lotus and the Porsche will probably drive better in a more sporty manner but at the moment I am leaning towards the Polestar 3.

Lotus need to get their act together if they intend to break into the mainstream market because these are customers of bigger brands that are use to better CS.

[exeterjeep]

39 minutes ago, Bibs said:

I would have thought that LKA would struggle to recognise the lane on a narrow country road so keep itself turned off anyway? They really need white lines, a centreline and ideally traffic in front to recognise the lane correctly.

My limited experience in the Eletre up my road the old A30 West of Exeter, it was constantly bonging and had yellow warning triangles on the HUD. It was a total pain.

[C8RKH]

You must have felt like Tom "Maverick" Cruise in an F14 dogfighting with Jester and the Ice Man @exeterjeep. At least it sounds like you got a good "lock" in your HUD. Missiles away!

Many a post on here pre Eletre about people loving all the new tech and wanting more and more of it in their cars. What was the saying - "Be careful what you wish for!"

[Footie]

What Lotus need to do is do a shortcut button on the display to both speed limiter and lane assist. These are arguably to two most annoying things driving a modern car and every single one of them that’s less than a year old turn these blood functions on every single time.

[Footie]

Anyone got more of an update yet on range from normal driving?

[Bibs]