If there’s one brand that has made a complete 180 in its engineering philosophy, that would be British sports car manufacturer Lotus. From Colin Chapman’s original intent to simplify, then add lightness to its vehicles, Lotus today is very much unrecognizable.
- Base Trim Engine
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Electric
- Base Trim Transmission
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single-speed Automatic
- Base Trim Drivetrain
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All-Wheel Drive
- Base Trim Horsepower
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591 hp
- Fuel Economy
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TBC
- Make
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Lotus
- Model
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Eletre
- Segment
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Midsize Luxury SUV
Lotus, today, is way past the days of simple, lightweight sports cars as a way to remain relevant in 2025. Their latest creation is perhaps the most distant from what the company stood for. Neither simple nor light, this new plug-in hybrid is a vehicle that no Lotus fan asked for.
For You Or For Me?
The new Lotus plug-in hybrid in question is a new version of the Eletre, and it comes with a very odd name. Say hello to the Lotus For Me, which hopefully isn’t for me, because I do not like where this is going at all.
Basically, An Eletre PHEV
There’s nothing much that separates the fully-electric Eletre from the For Me in terms of design. You still get a rakish silhouette with slim LED headlights up front, though the grille pattern gets slightly redesigned, since it now needs to cool a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder. So much for simplicity, though, because this plug-in hybrid SUV is far from it.
The 2.0-liter itself produces 275 horsepower, but when it works in tandem with the dual electric motors, the combined output rises significantly to 952 horsepower. This is good for a 0–62 mph in just 3.3 seconds, while its large 70-kWh battery is enough for a 261-mile pure electric range, which is based on the highly conservative CLTC test cycle. With up to 400 kW of DC fast charging through its 900-volt architecture, the battery can be charged from 30 to 80 percent in just eight minutes.
More Zeekr Than Lotus
Now, if you’re a fan of Chinese cars, you probably know the luxury brand Zeekr. Like Lotus, Zeekr is part of Geely, and its 2.0-liter gasoline engine comes from the Zeekr 9X. Though Lotus, or at least China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), doesn’t reveal what kind of transmission it has, the Zeekr 9X uses a three-speed Dedicated Hybrid Transmission (DHT), essentially China’s preferred transmission for their plug-in hybrids.
Though the Lotus For Me won’t be hitting dealers until 2026, all new cars undergoing homologation in China have their photos posted on MIIT’s website for everyone to see. That’s exactly why a lot of upcoming new Chinese-market cars are already publicized months before their actual launch dates. Anyway, with this powertrain setup, the For Me couldn’t be any further from what Lotus vehicles should be like when it comes to the driving experience.
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Colin Chapman Won’t Be Happy
If the founder of Lotus were alive today, the For Me probably wouldn’t have been greenlit for production. Here’s why.
It’s Not Light, Like The Bulk Of Lotus’ Lot
The Lotus Eletre is already a heavy car—the heaviest vehicle to wear the Lotus badge, even. In its lightest form, the Eletre weighs 5,654 pounds, while the fastest Eletre R weighs a whopping 6,051 pounds. The For Me falls somewhere in between, weighing as much as 5,787 pounds. Though the battery is smaller, the 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder and the more complex, yet-to-be-announced transmission choice add to the For Me’s overall weight. Speaking of which…
It’s Not A Simplified Machine Made For Driving Enjoyment
Electric vehicles (EVs) are often touted for their mechanical simplicity. They often require a simple, single-speed automatic, and the absence of pistons, fuel injectors, camshafts, and other components that enable an internal combustion engine (ICE) to effectively convert oil into forward motion means that electric motors can be more compact, simpler, or both.
Unfortunately, the plug-in hybrid system only adds to the vehicle’s complications. You now have two power sources to deal with, not to mention the additional hardware to let the engine either charge the battery, power the wheels, or both. It also means it will probably be the least engaging and emotional Lotus to drive, since the plug-in hybrid system prioritizes electric propulsion above all else.
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Lotus Versus Today’s Market
So what’s the motivation for Lotus to create the new For Me? Well, let’s just say that the overall automotive industry’s shift towards EVs wasn’t as rapid as what Lotus anticipated.
Lotus Pauses All-EV Shift
To no one’s surprise, Lotus is joining a plethora of automakers who are slowing down their shift towards full EVs. Originally planned to ditch the ICE as soon as 2028, Lotus finds itself in a difficult position where it’s discontinuing the main selling point of its vehicles in favor of models that completely go against the company’s philosophies.
What’s even more difficult is that, in my opinion, their current lineup of EVs doesn’t necessarily stand out versus today’s current crop of luxury EVs. The segment is already filled with so many high-end EVs, but demand for high-end luxury EVs doesn’t necessarily correlate with the sheer number of available models in this segment. In the United States, when the $7,500 Federal Tax Credit ended in September, the industry thought that the luxury segment would not be heavily affected. As it turns out, since the $7,500 Federal Tax Credit also applied to leases, luxury EVs suddenly became unattractive, since these vehicles were popular among lease customers.
More PHEVs In The Pipeline
That’s where these plug-in hybrids come in. The Lotus For Me, though it is just an Eletre PHEV, is going on sale in China first before heading to Europe sometime in the second half of 2026. The For Me isn’t just the only PHEV in the pipeline, because Lotus CEO Feng Qingfeng confirmed that the Emira sports car is set to debut a plug-in hybrid version in 2027. The development of the Emira PHEV is a collaborative work between the China-based Lotus Technology division and Lotus Cars in the UK, with the latter being the brains behind the company’s sports cars.
The Emeya electric sedan is also anticipated to gain a plug-in hybrid version, too. As for the For Me’s arrival in the United States, let’s just say that the chances are very slim, considering the tariff situation for Chinese-made cars. Yes, let us remind you that the Eletre is more closely related to a Zeekr or a Volvo than a lightweight sports car that Colin Chapman would proudly call his masterpiece.
Sources: New York Times, The EPA, MIIT, AutoCar