Lotus Eletre X Hybrid on sale in Europe

New PHEV kicks off at 100,000 euros on the continent; expect it in the UK next year

By Matt Bird / Wednesday, 3 June 2026 / Loading comments

Credit where it’s due to Lotus, the new Eletre X Hybrid does seem to address a lot of the concerns that have existed around the EV SUV. The introduction of a 2.0-litre combustion engine means a huge increase in range - up to 745 miles - with up to 217 of that possible on electric. The 70kWh lithium-ion battery can be charged at up to 436kW, so it can be rejuiced very speedily. It’s still very fast, with up to 952hp, it weighs up to 120kg less than the EV, and the 550hp variant should be comparable in price to the current 600 EV. The Eletre X Hybrid is certainly interesting, we’ll give it that.

Now European prices have been confirmed; there isn’t a UK RRP yet because it’s not due here until 2027 (with RHD homologation pending), but the EUR price can be a good indication for GBP. In France (each country is slightly different, so let’s go as close as possible), the Eletre X H550 is €97,990 - or £84,600 at current exchange rates. The purely electric Eletre 600 currently starts at £84,990.

That money buys - you guessed it - a 550hp machine. The H550 has the same battery tech as the flagship, so it will still go as far and charge as fast, it just has the intensity turned down a notch. Which, if recent experience of luxury electrified machines is anything to go by, tends to make for a nicer everyday car. And it’s still not exactly slow, with exactly the same 690lb ft for both: 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds is claimed. The H550 weighs 2,550kg against the 952hp version’s 2,615kg, with 20-inch cast alloy against 21-inch forged rims and slightly smaller brakes. There’s also mechanical anti-roll bars for the 550, replaced by a 48v active system in the top of the range plug-in Eletre.

That car is the Eletre X H1000 which, to be frank, does sound quite cool. We’ll let it off being 48hp short. It slashes the 0-62mph sprint time to 3.3 seconds, and can reach 124mph in just 11 seconds. A hybrid M5 claims 10.9 for the same benchmark - what a drag race that’d be. Top speed for the H1000 climbs to 143mph from the H550’s 130. Just as importantly for actual buyers, preliminary WLTP figures for both Eletres put them at less than 50g/km and better than 40mpg. In France the H1000 to cost from €121,990, or £105,300 at the moment. The electric 900 is a £130k prospect, for reference.

As for prospective rivals, it makes sense to line the Eletre 550 up against alternatives rather than the H1000. Even a £140k V8 hybrid Cayenne is only 739hp strong. A 489hp X5 hybrid with the straight six is from £82k in M Sport guise, though can only offer 62 miles of range; a Mercedes GLE 53 Hybrid brings some AMG kudos and 544hp for £95k; the Audi Q8 e-hybrid musters just 394hp, and costs from £86,140. If Lotus can lure a few of those customers into an Eletre, that will surely feel like a job well done.

Expect to hear plenty more about the X Hybrid setup, too, with the technology set to ‘play a key role in Lotus’ Focus 2030 strategy’. As hybrids continue to maintain (if not grow) their popularity, so this sort of range and charging capability from a proprietary system could appeal. Qingfeng Feng, CEO at Lotus Group said: “Eletre X is proof of how cutting-edge technology can serve the driver, a value which is at the heart of the Lotus brand. We feel that we have created something that not only pushes the boundaries of what is possible from a technical standpoint but also enriches their emotional and practical driving experience.” So next year sounds like a big one for Lotus in the UK (as they all kind of do). The early electric Eletres (easy for you to say) will probably be even less than £55k then, too…