Lotus Eletre vs Chevrolet Silverado

What's the difference?

So, how does this radically different Lotus measure up to the brand’s reputation and stack up against its would-be competitors in the final summation? It doesn’t reset the benchmark in any area or stand out head and shoulders above its competition, but crucially for Lotus (and its overlords at Geely) it doesn’t feel behind its rivals. 

For the Lotus diehards this is an unrecognisable addition to the brand’s legacy of great sports cars. But this new version of the brand is looking to reach fresh customers and the Eletre will likely grab their eye with its dramatic looks.

It’s a highly competitive luxury, performance SUV that should have anyone considering a similar sized Bentley, BMW, Mercedes, or even the Lamborghini taking it for a test drive. It has both elements - luxury and performance - that will appeal to those looking for something special.

With its unique V8 soundtrack, all-terrain capabilities and sumptuous comfort, the ZR2 is a quintessential American muscle truck that's as capable of carting crews and accessing rugged worksites during the week as it is towing boats, horse-floats and caravans or getting muddy on weekends. For either work or play, there's a lot to like here.

The design of an electric SUV is, by its very existence, interesting as it’s something a Lotus has never been before. This is the brand’s new flagship SUV, designed to take on the likes of everything from the Bentley Bentayga to the BMW iX and even the Lamborghini Urus, so it needs to make a statement.

The design is influenced by the Evija electric hypercar, which Lotus built to kick-start its Geely era, but goes a step further with its angular design. It certainly looks more closely related to the Lamborghini SUV than any Lotus you’ve seen before.

It’s different, it looks special and will likely turn heads, but to be blunt, if you’re a Lotus lover who has an affection for the Elise, Exige and the like then this really isn’t for you.

This is a modern evolution for Lotus, created to appeal to new customers with its edgy exterior design, utterly modern interior look and premium finish.

One disappointment is the way the plethora of safety sensors and cameras can disturb the lines of the car, making it look like an unfinished prototype from some angles.

The Silverado’s extensive remanufacturing to RHD, performed on a purpose-built production line in Melbourne, meets OEM standards of fit and finish.

As the off-road focused 1500 model, the ZR2 has hardware and detailing consistent with its rugged bush-bashing persona, highlighted by aggressively treaded mud-terrain tyres and unique raised suspension with high performance dampers.

Other ZR2 features include a raised bonnet with ZR2 applique, ‘off-road cut’ front bumper, bash plates, black grille with ‘Flow Tie’ (flow-through) bow-tie motif, ‘Performance Red’ chassis-mounted front recovery hooks, concealed dual-outlet exhaust, black fender flares/door handles/bumpers/window surrounds and chrome ZR2 badges.

It has a tough and purposeful look with bluff-fronted styling and an imposing stance. 

An expansive length of almost 6.0 metres (5931mm) and a 14.4-metre turning circle highlight formidable (and at times impractical) dimensions for urban life.

The cabin is spacious and airy with a tasteful blend of contrasting tones and textures combined with many soft-touch surfaces, yellow stitching along seams and splashes of chrome and satin chrome creating a plush look and feel.

The modern and premium design carries over into the cabin, with the model we were testing finished in grey leather and Alcantra with gold highlights. Which, along with the fact there’s leather and carpet inside, makes this feel more polished and luxurious than any previous Lotus.

But once you look beyond that you notice it’s not quite as practical as such a large SUV could be. Yes, there are a couple of cupholders in the centre console, but one is quite small and not practical for most cups/bottles.

There’s a small shelf for the wireless smartphone charging pad and the centre console box, but aside from that, there’s no other significant storage space in the front.

On the plus side the seats are comfortable and supportive, which is also true of those in the rear. The space in the rear is excellent, with plenty of head and knee room that will allow four adults to travel in comfort (adding a fifth to the middle seat would be a squeeze).

Those in the back also get access to the small screen that allows them to adjust not only the climate control but also the front seats. The rear seats also recline and there’s a pair of cupholders and USB-C ports.

The Lotus Eletre has a generous 688-litre boot, which is wide and deep. However, it comes at the expense of a spare tyre, with only a puncture repair kit provided.

The ZR2’s hefty 2587kg kerb weight and 3300kg GVM results in a 713kg payload, which is modest given a seated crew of five big tradies could use up about two-thirds of that payload capacity before loading any of their gear.

It can also legally tow up to 3500kg of braked trailer on a 50mm ball and up to 4200kg on a 70mm ball. The latter figure is 300kg less than the LTZ due to the specialised off-road suspension.

However, given the ZR2’s 6851kg GCM rating (or how much it can legally carry and tow at the same time), you would be left with a mere 64kg of vehicle payload if you wanted to tow the maximum 4200kg.

That’s barely enough for a driver - and a light one at that. Fact is, few if any owners in real-world use would need to tow 4200kg, but it’s important to be across these legal limits if you’re planning to.

The load tub is protected internally by a spray-on liner and offers almost 1.8 cubic metres of load volume. Its load floor is 1776mm long, 1813mm wide and sits 569mm deep, with 1286mm between the rear-wheel housings. More than wide enough for hauling Aussie or Euro pallets.

There are also 12 load-anchorage points, power assistance for lowering the tailgate and a tub camera to keep an eye on loads when driving. The rear bumper provides surefooted tub access using either the centre step or concave side-steps.

All occupants enjoy luxurious space, particularly rear passengers thanks to easy entry created by the wide-opening doors, a flat floor with no transmission hump for the centre passenger to straddle and palatial head and legroom even for tall people. Combined with ample shoulder room, a full crew can travel in enviable comfort.

Cabin storage for the driver and front passenger includes two bottle holders and a bin in each door. There’s also a large glove box and the centre console has an open tray and two USB ports up front, two bottle holders in the centre and a big box at the back topped by a padded lid that provides comfy elbow support.

Rear passengers get a bottle holder and bin in each door, plus more USB ports and two more pairs of bottle holders in the rear of the centre console and in the bench seat’s fold-down centre armrest.

There’s also storage pockets on both front seat backrests and handy compartments for small items are cleverly concealed within the rear seat’s upper-backrest cushions. Its 60/40-split base cushions can also swing up and be stored vertically if more internal load space is required, or to access ample under-seat storage.

Our 1500 ZR2 test vehicle, like its LTZ Premium sibling, comes standard with GM’s thumping 6.2-litre petrol V8 paired with a 10-speed automatic and multi-mode 4WD transmission for a list price of $144,900.

Our example is also fitted with several items from the GMSV genuine accessory range including the tri-fold tonneau cover, side rocker protectors (aka rock rails) and matching removable side-steps. It’s also finished in 'Riptide Blue Metallic', which like the accessories is available at extra cost.

The ZR2’s standard equipment includes 18-inch gloss black alloy wheels with chunky 275/75 R18 Goodyear Wrangler Mud-Terrain tyres and a full-size alloy spare, LED headlights/DRLs/tail-lights, load tub camera, spray-on tub-liner with ZR2 logo, power tailgate, 4500kg towing kit including towbar, 12-pin harness and electric trailer-brake controller, 360-degree camera with up to 14 views and lots more (see Design).

Climb aboard the sumptuous interior with its keyless opening/start and you’re treated to a heated leather-wrapped steering wheel with power tilt/reach adjustment and multiple remote controls, leather-appointed and heated/cooled driver and front passenger seats with 10-way power adjustment and memory settings, heated rear seats, power sliding rear window, dual-zone climate control, front and rear USB ports and lots more.

The high-feature dash includes a colour 12.3-inch configurable driver’s instrument display and 13.4-inch multimedia touchscreen that controls, among other things, the Bose premium sound and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity. The driver also has a choice of adaptive and non-adaptive cruise control plus there's a head-up display, switchable rear-view mirror camera function, tyre pressure monitoring and lots more, including the recent addition of standard front parking sensors on the ZR2.

Owners who need to tow will appreciate the reversing camera with hitch guidance and view, in-vehicle trailering app with different trailer profiles, trailer theft alert, automated trailer lighting test and a GCM alert.

As mentioned earlier, there are three Eletre models, with the base model and S sharing the same powertrain, while the R gets a unique set-up.

The Eletre and Eletre S punch out a very healthy 450kW/710Nm from the dual motors that provide all-wheel drive traction. Despite being a full-size SUV, the two 450kW models are able to run 0-100km/h in only 4.5 seconds.

The Eletre R gets more powerful motors that make a staggering 675kW/985Nm, and crucially also get a two-speed transmission, which helps with acceleration. Lotus claims it has enough performance for the Eletre R to launch from 0-100km/h in just 2.9 seconds, a hugely impressive time for such a big and luxurious vehicle.

Like the LTZ, the ZR2 is powered by a 6.2-litre petrol V8 producing 313kW of power at 5600rpm and 624Nm of torque at 4100rpm. It features cylinder deactivation to optimise fuel economy when full power isn't required.

This is paired with a refined 10-speed torque converter automatic, armed with an auxiliary external oil cooler ideal for heavy towing duties and off-road slogging. It also offers sequential manual shifting using steering wheel-mounted paddles and there are numerous selectable drive modes.

Its dual-range transfer case with push-button control offers the choice of '2WD High', '4WD High', '4WD Low' and '4WD Auto', with the latter being a full-time torque-on-demand system. It’s also equipped with driver-selectable front and rear locking differentials for optimum traction in the rough stuff.

Despite the different powertrains, all three Eletre models have the same 111kWh battery but the driving range varies across each one. 

The entry-grade model has a claimed WLTP range of between 535-600km, the Eletre S drops to 490-535km and the Eletre R can travel between 410-450km on a single charge.

On test we found those claims to be optimistic, certainly on the higher end, and especially if you head out of the urban environment and don’t maximise the regenerative braking to keep the battery topping up.

GMSV claims official combined cycle (urban/extra-urban) fuel consumption of 12.7L/100km and the dash display was showing 15.3 when we stopped to refuel at the completion of our 397km test, which included our usual mix of suburban, city and highway driving of which about half was hauling a variety of payloads.

This compares to our own figure, calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings, which was higher again at 16.8L/100km. That exceeds the usual 2.0-3.0L/100km discrepancy between official and real-world consumption but is still acceptable for a 2.5-tonne pick-up powered by a big petrol V8 in urban use.

So, based on our real-world consumption figure, you could expect a driving range of around 540km from its relatively small 91-litre tank.

The challenge for Lotus, and its competitors, is to make its cars stand out from the pack despite the increasing similarities in performance brought on by electric powertrains.

Whereas in the past we could have assessed the difference between a Lotus-built V8 compared to a BMW manufactured V8 or even a Mercedes-Benz V12, these days all the electric models produce the same quiet, effortless punch.

So, it creates a generic driving experience in some regards, when what you’re hoping for at this end of the market is something special and different. And it’s important to note I don’t use the term ‘generic’ in a negative sense, but simply the Eletre has similar driving characteristics to the electric models from BMW, Mercedes-AMG and others.

Where it does give a hint to Lotus’ heritage is in its handling, where the combination of the air suspension with adaptive dampers, torque vectoring (by braking) and the British brand’s decades of experience combine to create a surprisingly direct and responsive SUV.

You won’t mistake it for an Emira, Exige or Elise, but the Eletre does have dynamic ability a cut above your average luxury SUV.

The ZR2’s raised off-road suspension requires more of a climb aboard than the LTZ, but the low-slung removable side-steps fitted to our test vehicle certainly make boarding easier and are an accessory worth considering if most of your driving is on-road.

There are large handles on the truck’s A- and B-pillars to assist entry to the cabin where the driver is treated to multiple power adjustments of seat and steering wheel plus a large left footrest, which together provide a very comfortable driving position.

The ride and handling are outstanding, as the ZR2’s suspension combined with the additional cushioning of its baggy all-terrain tyres is commendably supple over bumps, yet it's surprisingly responsive to steering input without the ponderous feeling expected in a vehicle of this size and weight.

This response is optimised when the ‘Sport’ mode is selected as it sharpens steering, brake pedal feel and suspension tuning for a more engaging drive. It also activates the louder and freer-flowing exhaust setting and modifies the auto’s shift calibration, which allows the V8 to shine with a guttural roar under full throttle that is not only an aural delight but can quickly reach triple-digit speeds with remarkable ease.

By contrast, it can also deliver relaxed and fuel-efficient highway travel thanks to the V8’s auto cylinder deactivation and less than 1500rpm being required to maintain a leisurely 110km/h. Engine, tyre and wind noise are negligible at these speeds.

To test its payload rating we forklifted 475kg into the load tub which combined with our crew of two equalled a total payload of 655kg that was within 60kg of its legal limit.

The rear leaf-springs only compressed abut 35mm under this loading, which left more than enough bump-stop clearance to ensure there was no bottoming out on our test route. The ZR2 performed so effortlessly with this payload it was easy to forget we even had one.

Our only criticism of the driving experience was the tri-fold tonneau cover. When hauling loads, this accessory is designed to fold forward into a flat bundle that leans against the rear of the cabin with two adjustable struts to brace it in place (see photo).

This worked fine during suburban driving up to 80km/h but was not suited to higher speeds, as the increased air pressure made it flex enough to block the rear-view mirror's camera view. So, an alternative tonneau design would be preferable for those needing to do lots of highway travel with uncovered loads.

There are currently no ANCAP star ratings for full-size US pick-ups. However, Australia’s vehicle safety authority has acknowledged the growing popularity of these vehicles with its inaugural ‘Large Utilities ADAS Safety Comparison’ to provide local consumers with comparisons of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (aka crash-avoidance technologies).

The Silverado 1500 range (February 2025-build onwards) earned the minimum bronze grading, with its score of 27 per cent being the lowest of all vehicles tested. By comparison, Ford’s F-150 earned the highest score with 81 per cent and premium platinum status.

Even so, the ZR2 has an extensive active safety menu including forward collision alert with low-speed AEB, lane-keeping, blind-spot monitoring (which expands to include trailers), rear cross-traffic alert, front/rear parking sensors, plus a 360-degree camera view (with up to 14 views) and more.

It also has six airbags including side-curtain protection for all outboard seating positions, plus ISOFIX child-seat anchorages on the two outer rear seating positions and three top-tethers.

As for its ownership credentials, Lotus doesn’t offer capped price servicing, so you’ll need to discuss the on-going maintenance costs for your Eletre.

On the plus side, the new model is covered by a five-year/150,000km warranty for the car, with an eight-year/200,000km warranty for the battery.

Now comes standard with a class benchmark five years/unlimited km manufacturer warranty, plus five years of roadside assist.

Scheduled servicing is every 12 months/12,000km whichever occurs first, but there's no capped-price servicing. Expect a three year service bill of around $2000, which isn't outrageous for a vehicle of this type.

GMSV has an Australian network of 50-plus dealers across most states and territories and all dealerships can provide vehicle servicing.