Lotus has just released base model Eletre SUV to challenge the Porsche Macan electric SUV
So, the Malaysian premium electric SUV segment heats up as Volvo, Mercedes-Benz and BMW push hard to keep their electric vehicles interest for high net worth Malaysians to enjoy emission free motoring.
Meanwhile, we have a price war in the mid-segment as the ‘Made In China’ electric vehicles jostle hard to keep ahead of the pack. Here it is BYD and Tesla that are taking the ‘lions’ share of the sales and the rest are playing catch up.
Now comes more excitement as legendary sports car manufacturer, Lotus introduces a base model Eletre SUV to tickle some buyers away from the recently launched and much talked about Porsche Macan electric.
Yes, the very popular Porsche Macan SUV goes completely electric and they are offering 4 variants to Malaysians with prices starting at a very attractive RM430,000.
The Macan popularity can and will ‘bite’ into the growing Lotus Eletre popularity (prices used to start from RM698k). Yes, the Eletre is slightly larger than the Macan.
So, here comes a third and new variant for the Eletre and it is priced from RM598k which is still some RM168k higher than the Porsche Macan.
Meanwhile, let us share some information on this new Eletre variant. Like the Eletre S, this SUV is powered by a single-speed system capable of delivering 603hp and 710Nm of torque with a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 4.5 seconds (which is 1.2 seconds quicker than the Macan base variant).
It is also capable of achieving top speeds of 258km/h and a maximum WLTP driving range of 600km. The Eletre is also equipped with a 112 kWh battery and a 350 kW charger that enables rapid charging time of 10 percent – 80 percent in just 20 minutes.
The prices for the three variants available are as follows:
· Eletre: RM598,800
· Eletre S: RM698,000
· Eletre R: RM838,000
Now here are some details for the base RM430k Porsche Macan
The base Macan is the only rear-wheel drive model. It’s no slouch either, with a single rear-mounted 340PS electric motor capable of overboosting to 360PS and 563Nm of torque. This variant of the Macan does the century sprint in a respectable 5.7 seconds and there is a possible top speed of 220km/h. Yes, the base Eletre is quicker in every respect by a smidgen and also bragging rights.
What’s actually interesting about the base Macan isn’t its speed, but its emission free driving range. Porsche were smart to leave in a 100kWh high-voltage battery as this has paired well with the weight-savings of losing a whole motor on the front axle. This base Macan is 110kg lighter than the model one rung above it and offers 28km longer range for a total of 641km on the WLTP cycle which is slightly more than the base Eletre.
Here are some facts about the more powerful RM525k Porsche Macan 4S
The total system output of the Macan 4S is 448PS, but with a temporary overboost it can achieve 516PS and 820Nm of torque, which enables a 0-100km/h sprint of just 4.1 seconds (0.4 seconds faster than the base Eletre). Top speed of this model is 240km/h. Range is a little diminished, but still impressive at 606km (slightly better than the base Eletre and still RM73,800 cheaper)
The prices for the four variants available to order locally are as follows:
· Macan: RM430,000
· Macan 4: RM445,000
· Macan 4S: RM525,000
· Macan Turbo: RM635,000
So, it is still a buyer’s market and which premium electric SUV tickles your interest is not about selling price and emissions free driving range and even acceleration. Its all about looks and curbside attention when it comes to high net worth electric car buyers in Malaysia.
