Ranked #297 car in the UK · SUV (EV) · 905 units sold last year

Lotus Eletre

The Lotus Eletre is the marque's audacious electric hyper-SUV - a vast, 600-to-900bhp luxury performance SUV that marks Lotus's transformation under Geely ownership. A 112kWh battery, 800-volt ultra-fast charging and active air suspension sit beneath a tech-laden, luxurious cabin. It is a world away from Lotus's featherweight sports-car heritage, but it is seriously fast and genuinely capable - bought as a left-field, rapidly-depreciating alternative to the established luxury electric SUVs.

Lotus Eletre
Photo: Alexander Migl via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Body
SUV (EV)
Years
2023–2026
Fuel
Electric
Range
304 mi

WLTP

Insurance
Group 50

The short version

14/100

Forecourt score

Value 8 · Reliability 28 · Insurance 0

The Lotus Eletre loses value faster than most cars and is dearer to run than most. Its MOT-based reliability is average, 68 out of 100, ahead of 28% of the cars we track. On three-year value retention it ranks better than 8% of models. The main things to check on a used one are the 12v battery management.

The Forecourt score blends how this car ranks against the catalogue on value retention, reliability and insurance cost (weighted 40/40/20). Higher is better; running cost is not yet folded in.

Pick your version

Estimates are tuned to the version you choose.

Fuel

Electric

Power

905 ps

Drivetrain

All-wheel drive

Efficiency

2.7 mi/kWh

Tell us about the one you're looking at

2023
20232026
21,000 mi
0Expected: 21,000180k
good
PoorFairGoodExcellent

Tidy and well looked-after for its age — the typical car.

Remembered as you browse other cars.

Optional — fills in the exact year and ULEZ status for your specific car. The registration isn’t stored.

Estimated market value

How we got this number — click for the breakdown, or to challenge it.

£55,650

Range £44,800£67,350

medium confidence

When new (2023)£89,500Age-based value£44,750Mileage adjustment+£0Condition & region-£2Market calibration+£13,452Forecourt price£58,200Private sale£53,150Part-exchange£46,750

The depreciation curve

How a 2023-registration Lotus Eletre loses value over time.

What it costs to own

Over

Based on the 2023 car with 21,000 miles you entered above — worth about £55,650 today — here is the cost of owning it for the next 5 years, at roughly 7,000 miles a year.

5-year total

£24,564

Per year

£4,913

All-in per mile

£0.70

Fuel per mile

10.0p

If a company carAround £100/mo Benefit-in-Kind tax at the 40% rate (£50/mo at 20%) — 3% band (EV)

Depreciation£4,869
Fuel / energy£3,500
Servicing£4,820
Road tax£975
Insurance£10,400

If you're a company-car driver

At 3% BIK, this would cost a 40% taxpayer about £100/month in company-car tax (£50/month at 20%) — one of the strongest cases for choosing an EV via salary sacrifice. Full BIK table below for context.

Best age to buy — around 7 years

A 7-year-old example loses roughly £4,400 a year — under half the £9,450 a one-year-old sheds. The steepest drop is behind it.

Uses current UK pump and home-charging prices (DESNZ weekly), typical-driver insurance and manufacturer service intervals. "Fuel per mile" is just the energy input — so an EV at ~9p and a diesel at ~22p make running-cost comparison direct. A guide; your own costs will vary.

How it compares

Where this car ranks against the 340 vehicles in our index — higher is better.

Holds its valuebetter than 8%
Reliabilitybetter than 28%
Cheap to insurebetter than 0%

Percentile rank across our full index. A measure is shown only where the data spreads meaningfully across the index.

Petrol, diesel, hybrid or EV?

How the available versions compare on price, running cost, and the headaches each tends to develop.

R

Halo trim — 905 PS, two-speed rear gearbox, lidar-equipped ADAS, full carbon-trim. The choice for buyers who want bragging rights and don't blink at Cayenne Turbo GT pricing.

New price
£140,000
Annual fuel / energy
£720
3-yr depreciation
%

Watch for

  • ·Software glitches (Lotus's first OTA-capable platform)
  • ·Charge port latch sticking
  • ·Air suspension calibration TSBs

S

Entry trim — 605 PS, single-speed, the longest range in the lineup (373 mi WLTP). The sensible pick if Lotus pricing is your ceiling: ~£50k less than R for genuinely competitive performance.

New price
£90,000
Annual fuel / energy
£590
3-yr depreciation
%

Watch for

  • ·Same software/platform issues as R
  • ·Lacks lidar, simpler ADAS
  • ·Better range than R (no two-speed gearbox loss)

Eletre 800

Mid-tier 800 PS variant introduced 2025. Bridges the £50k price gap between S and R without adding R-specific differentiators. Cleaner aerodynamics improve range over R.

New price
£120,000
Annual fuel / energy
£660
3-yr depreciation
%

Watch for

  • ·Same platform issues
  • ·Mid-spec compromise — less distinct than S or R

Fuel/energy costs based on this week’s UK averages (w/c 22/06/2026) · Petrol 153.3p/L, Diesel 172.5p/L, Electricity 27.0p/kWh · DESNZ

Estimated insurance

Group 50 of 50 (very high — top of the scale) · Comprehensive · 3 years NCB

Indicative annual comprehensive premiums for this car, by driver age band and risk profile. Pick the combination closest to your circumstances.

3 years
0 yearsBaseline: 3 years15+
Risk profile:

Estimated annual premium · typical, age 33-39

£2,080/ year

Roughly £173 per month

Typical

Average UK driver — 3 years NCB, average postcode, no recent claims.
Age bandLower riskTypicalHigher risk
Age 17-25£4,742£5,928£7,706
Age 26-32£2,475£2,912£3,553
Age 33-39Selected£1,830£2,080£2,454
Age 40-49£1,554£1,726£2,003
Age 50+£1,385£1,539£1,816

How we estimate this

Indicative annual comprehensive premium estimates. The 'Typical' figure represents an average UK driver in each age band; Lower and Higher risk show the realistic spread driven by factors UK insurers legitimately price on (postcode, occupation, claims history, NCB, voluntary excess, modifications). Based on 10,000 miles/yr, £250 voluntary excess, and the no-claims bonus selected above. Always get individual quotes before buying.

Expected annual costs

Adjust the annual mileage to match how you'll actually use the car. Insurance is what you selected above (age 33-39, typical risk, 3 yrs NCB).

7,000 mi/yr
2,000UK avg for this model: 7,00030,000

Routine service

£580

Annual main-dealer service

Major service

£480

Every 2 years, annualised

Road tax

£195

Standard rate, post year-one

Electricity

£700

2.7 mi/kWh, 27p blended

Insurance

£2,080

Age 33-39, group 50

Clean-air zones

ULEZ compliant
  • Electric variants are compliant with London ULEZ and all UK clean-air zones.

Based on London ULEZ standards — Birmingham, Bath, Bristol, Sheffield, Glasgow and other UK clean-air zones generally follow the same rules.

Total expected£4,035 / year

Excludes depreciation and unscheduled repairs (see next section).

Parts most likely to fail

Drawn from owner reports and warranty data. Filtered for relevance to 21,000 miles.

Watch now

Failure typically happens around your current mileage.

Upcoming

A known weak point — but you haven't reached its usual mileage yet.

Already due

Past its usual failure mileage. Either already fixed, or about to.

Software glitches

Typical at Any (early units)Cost OTA + dealer softwaremedium severity

First Lotus to use this EPA platform's software stack. Reports of screen freezes, infotainment crashes, ADAS errors. OTA updates progressively address. Check current firmware version pre-purchase.

Charge port latch

Typical at AnyCost Manual releasemedium severity

Sticky electronic latch — common across the EPA platform. Emergency release accessible from inside boot.

Air suspension calibration

Typical at Early units (TSB applied)Cost Dealer softwaremedium severity

Lotus issued TSBs for ride-height calibration on 2024 production. Check service history.

12V battery management

Typical at AnyCost TBC — emerging platformhigh severity

Like other premium EVs, 12V failures can immobilise. Reports too early to quantify Lotus-specific frequency.

Window seal noise

Typical at AnyCost £150 dealerlow severity

Multiple reviewers reported wind noise at motorway speeds. Build quality variability.

Tyre wear (R variant)Already due

Typical at 4k-7k mi frontCost £900+ per pairmedium severity

275/40 R22 fronts wear fast under 905 PS launches. Pirelli P Zero R OEM fitment, £450+ each.

Service network limitations

Typical at Long-termCost Travel to dealermedium severity

Limited UK Lotus dealers handle EVs. London, Manchester, Birmingham are the main centres. Plan for transport to dealer for major service.

"Parts low/medium/high" indicates how easy the replacement part is to source — discontinued or specialist parts mean longer workshop time and bigger bills.

Reliability

68/ 100

Average

Estimated from segment - new, complex, low-volume model; too new for MOT data

MOT outlook

Insufficient MOT history at this car's reference age — too few tests to compute a reliable percentile.

Things owners say

  • 01Power runs from ~600bhp (S) to ~900bhp (R); the 112kWh battery and 800-volt charging make it both long-legged and quick to recharge.
  • 02Steep depreciation from an 86,000-plus list makes used examples look like a lot of car - check history and battery health carefully.
  • 03A new, complex, low-volume model from a brand new to SUVs; specialist support and parts availability are worth confirming.

Safety recalls

Manufacturers occasionally issue safety recalls to fix a fault free of charge. You can check whether the Lotus Eletre, or your exact vehicle, has any outstanding recalls on the official DVSA service.

Check on GOV.UK

Opens the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency recall checker. Choose the make, model and year of manufacture — no registration needed.

Theft risk

A general indicator from UK 2025 theft data and this car’s characteristics — not a prediction for any one vehicle.

Whole-car theft

Higher

Desirable SUVs like this are relay-theft targets — keyless entry can be exploited from the driveway in under a minute.

Parts theft

Lower

As an electric car it has no catalytic converter, so the most common parts-theft vector doesn't apply.

Worth doing

  • Keep keys in a Faraday pouch and away from the front door to block relay attacks.
  • A visible steering lock is a cheap, strong deterrent on a frequently-targeted car.

Clean-air zones

Whether driving a Lotus Eletre into a UK clean-air zone will cost you anything. Rules use the same Euro standard across most zones — petrol from 2006 and diesel from 2015 onwards are exempt; pure electric is always exempt.

Charging zones for cars

CityAreaDaily chargeLikely outcome
LondonAll of Greater London (within the M25)£12.50
Likely exempt
Battery-electric — exempt everywhere.
BirminghamInside the A4540 Middleway£8.00
Likely exempt
Battery-electric — exempt everywhere.
BristolCity centre and part of the Portway£9.00
Likely exempt
Battery-electric — exempt everywhere.
GlasgowCity centre
Likely exempt
Battery-electric — exempt everywhere.
EdinburghCity centre
Likely exempt
Battery-electric — exempt everywhere.
AberdeenCity centre
Likely exempt
Battery-electric — exempt everywhere.
DundeeCity centre
Likely exempt
Battery-electric — exempt everywhere.

Zones that don't charge private cars

  • BathCity centre (Private cars and motorbikes are not charged).
  • BradfordOuter ring road and the Aire Valley (Private cars are not charged).
  • SheffieldInside the A61 inner ring road (Private cars are not charged).
  • Newcastle & GatesheadCity centres and the Tyne, Swing, High Level and Redheugh bridges (Private cars are not charged).
  • PortsmouthPart of the city centre (Applies to taxis, PHVs, buses, coaches and HGVs only).

Model-level guidance only. To check a specific registration, use the official gov.uk clean-air zone checker. Zone charges and boundaries are set by local councils and change over time.

EV reality check

Winter range
228 mi
75% of WLTP
DC charge 10–80%
20 min
Class-leading (800V)
Heat pump
Standard
Standard fit
Battery chemistry
NMC
Higher energy density, faster charging, charge to 80% daily
Cost to charge
£10.00
per 100 miles · 27p/kWh

Winter range estimates assume ~5°C ambient with cabin heating; figures from manufacturer cold-weather testing where available, otherwise derived as a fraction of WLTP. DC times are manufacturer-claimed 10–80% on the headline charger; real-world sessions on UK rapids can be slower. Charging cost is a full battery at the home/blended electricity rate; public rapid charging costs more.

UK charging network

119,080 public chargers across the UK

As of 2026-04-01, the UK has 119,080 publicly available EV chargers, up 12.6% on the prior year (13,281 added in 2025). 23% of those are rapid (50 kW+) or ultra-rapid (150 kW+), so the network can support both home and on-route charging.

3-8 kW

50%

Standard

8-50 kW

27%

Standard plus

50-150 kW

12%

Rapid

150 kW+

11%

Ultra-rapid

Source: Department for Transport / Zapmap · Released 2026-05-21 · DfT statistics

Company car tax

What HMRC's Benefit-in-Kind charge looks like if you ran this Lotus Eletre as a company car, by tax year and income-tax band. Calculated from a CO₂ of 0 g/km and a WLTP electric range of 304 miles, using £99,500 as the P11D value.

EVs sit at the bottom BIK band — currently 3% — so this is one of the cheapest ways to take a company car.

Tax yearBIK %Tax @ 20%Tax @ 40%Monthly @ 20%Monthly @ 40%
2025-263%£597£1,194£50£100
2026-274%£796£1,592£66£133
2027-285%£995£1,990£83£166
2028-297%£1,393£2,786£116£232
2029-309%£1,791£3,582£149£299

P11D value is approximated from the latest new price; the exact figure on your tax code will depend on options fitted. The 4% diesel surcharge applies only to non-RDE2 (pre-2021) diesels — we assume RDE2 compliance for current models. Bands and rates from HMRC's Autumn Budget 2024 confirmation through 2029/30.

Servicing & the dealer network

How well-supported Lotus is across the UK — a practical read on how easy servicing, parts and warranty work will be to find.

Franchised UK dealers

~25

Very few outlets

Specialist sports

Network size relative to the UK's largest (Lotus is 0.6% of all franchised outlets)

Very few franchised outlets — main-dealer servicing means travelling to one of a handful of locations, so budget for that.

For context, the UK has roughly 4,500 franchised car-dealer outlets in total, plus about 15,500 independent garages.

Approximate figures, curated from public UK industry sources (NFDA, Car Dealer Magazine). Franchised networks shrink year on year — these indicate network size, not an exact count.

How many are still out there

Of every Lotus Eletre ever registered in the UK, this is what's actively on the road, parked off the road on a SORN, or gone for good.

Total ever registered

2,490

Currently taxed & on road

2,464

99% of all registered

SORN (off road)

26

1% of all registered

Scrapped or exported

0

UK fleet trend — 2023 to 2025

+59.1% vs 2024
4822,464

Source: DfT VEH0124 vehicle licensing statistics (year-end 2025) · Updated 1 Jul 2026

Common questions

Lotus Eletre, answered

Is the Lotus Eletre ULEZ compliant?
Most petrol Lotus Eletres from 2006 and diesels from September 2015 meet the Euro standards for London ULEZ and other UK clean-air zones, so they are generally exempt from the daily charge. Pure-electric versions are always exempt.
What insurance group is the Lotus Eletre in?
The Lotus Eletre sits in insurance group 50 of 50, towards the pricier end of the scale. Your actual premium still depends on age, postcode, annual mileage and no-claims history.
Is the Lotus Eletre reliable?
Our reliability score for the Lotus Eletre is 68 out of 100 (about average), derived from DVSA MOT records.
What economy does the Lotus Eletre get?
Expect roughly around 2.7 miles per kWh for a typical Lotus Eletre, based on official figures and our running-cost model. Real-world figures vary with driving style, load and conditions.
What are the common problems on the Lotus Eletre?
On the Lotus Eletre, the issues that come up most by mileage include Software glitches, Charge port latch and Air suspension calibration. The section above breaks down each one with its typical mileage, repair cost and severity.
How many Lotus Eletres are on UK roads?
About 2,464 Lotus Eletres are currently taxed and on the road in the UK, from DfT vehicle-licensing data.

Same underpinnings

Built on the Geely SEA platform

Geely's dedicated EV platform, used across Volvo, Polestar, Lotus, Smart and Zeekr. Different badges, often substantially different residuals, but broadly the same mechanicals and repair cost profile.

Sustainable Experience Architecture · Geely

Common questions

Lotus Eletre, answered from the data

Is the Lotus Eletre reliable?
The Lotus Eletre scores 68/100 on Forecourt's MOT-based reliability measure. The main things to check on a used one are the 12v battery management.
How much does a used Lotus Eletre cost?
A 2023 Lotus Eletre with around 21,000 miles is worth roughly £55,650 today (typical range £46,950–£64,400). Dealer forecourt prices sit higher and part-exchange offers lower; newer or lower-mileage examples cost more.
How quickly does the Lotus Eletre depreciate?
A new Lotus Eletre typically loses about 50% of its value over the first three years, then depreciates more slowly. Buying at three to five years old avoids the steepest part of the curve.
What insurance group is the Lotus Eletre?
The Lotus Eletre sits in insurance group 50 of 50 — the more expensive end of the scale. Exact premiums depend on the trim (some versions sit a few groups higher or lower), your age, postcode and no-claims history.
What goes wrong on a used Lotus Eletre?
The most common age-related issues we track for the Lotus Eletre are: software glitches (typically around Any (early units), OTA + dealer software to put right); charge port latch (typically around Any, Manual release to put right); air suspension calibration (typically around Early units (TSB applied), Dealer software to put right). A full service history and a recent MOT with no advisories are the best protection.
What does the Lotus Eletre cost to run?
Expect around 2.7 miles per kWh, £195 a year in road tax, about £580 for a standard annual service. The full cost-of-ownership table above breaks this down per year and per mile for the exact year and mileage you choose.

Answers are generated from this car's Forecourt data — DVSA MOT records, DfT licensing statistics and our valuation model — and update with the weekly data refresh.

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