Eletre

Make
Lotus
Segment
SUV

Lotus is known for engineering some of the most fun-to-drive lightweight sports cars you're likely to find anywhere, but the company is embarking on a fresh electrified chapter and teased several new EVs last year. The new Emira is the brand's final gas-powered sports car, so is the last of a dying breed. One of these upcoming EVs is the Type 132, the brand's first SUV that is said to be about the same size as a Porsche Cayenne. That would make it a rival for the high-performance BMW iX M60, although the Lotus is likely to be positioned as a more exotic, expensive alternative.

The Type 132 is likely to receive an official name at some point, but until then, Lotus has released a series of teasers. These have shared as little as possible about the SUV, much to the frustration of fans on social media who are finding the brand's vague teaser campaign too, well, vague. Still, there are further hints that significant weight-saving measures have been undertaken for the Type 132.

The new videos are titled 'Power' and 'Heart', and the former shows off what looks like carbon fiber wheels for the 132. There is an athlete theme for both videos, with the Power one being compared to an athlete's shoe. In 'Heart', we get a close-up look at the 132's drive unit. Unfortunately, the teasers reveal nothing more. We would've loved to have seen more of the exterior or interior design, but Lotus has chosen not to show us much of the SUV at all. We do know a few details about the Type 132, though. It will be built on the new Lotus Premium Architecture platform and the battery sizes will range from 92 to 120 kWh.

A high-speed 800-volt EV charging system will be in place, and this will allow the battery to be recharged from empty to 80 percent in approximately 20 minutes. The 0-60 mph time will allegedly take just three seconds. In a previous teaser, we could see more carbon fiber being used for the front splitter, so Lotus will clearly be retaining its weight-saving ethos with its new SUV.

If you prefer your Lotus to be low-slung, the company recently teased a sketch of its new electric sports car. A collaboration with Britishvolt will help Lotus develop batteries that won't compromise the sports car when it comes to weight. As for the Type 132, we hope that any forthcoming teasers show us a bit more of this high-performance electric SUV, which is due to be revealed fully sometime this year.