Lotus debuts in Brazil with pure sports car, electric SUV and even a 2,039 hp hypercar
With its own operations and stores in São Paulo, Lotus starts sales of the Eletre and Emeya models in August, aiming for the top of the luxury market.
By Henrique Rodriguez
May 31, 2026, 10:00 AM | Updated May 31, 2026, 10:09 AM
Lotus Cars Brasil has officially announced its debut in the national market after three years of negotiations to consolidate the operation. The traditional British brand, controlled by Chinese Geely since May 2017, begins activities in July with the opening of two own stores in São Paulo.
The company intends to make Lotus’s entire global portfolio available in Brazil. Expansion is also planned with dealerships in capitals such as Curitiba, Brasília, and Porto Alegre, adopting a business model focused on customization. The brand predicts that 70% of sales will be made to order, with the customer customizing the details of their car thoroughly.
The launch schedule effectively starts in August with the arrival of the first units of the Eletre sport utility vehicle and the Emeya sedan, both electric. The strategy for the electric sedan is conservative, with only 12 units imported in the first year to test receptivity and ensure exclusivity of Lotus cars in Brazil.
Next, in October, the mid-engined sports car Emira and its track variant Emira GT4 arrive. The manufacturer plans to use the competition model to create a one-make category on national soil in the future, which could be named Lotus Cup. Before that, Lotus may sell its first hypercar in Brazil.
The power of the electrics from Wuhan
Produced in Wuhan, China, the Lotus Eletre has an 800V electrical architecture and monstrous dimensions: 5.10 m in length, 3.06 m wheelbase, 2 m width, and 1.64 m height. Its weight varies between 2,490 kg and 2,690 kg depending on the version. To compensate, its body has several air intakes that helped achieve a decent aerodynamic drag coefficient of 0.26 Cd.
The entry-level Eletre 600 uses two electric motors that combine for 612 hp and 72 kgfm, accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds. With a 112 kWh battery, the declared range on the WLTP cycle is 600 km.
The top-of-the-line Eletre 900 raises the numbers to 918 hp and 100.5 kgfm, reducing the 0-100 km/h time to 2.95 seconds. However, with the higher dynamic performance, the range of the same battery drops to 490 km (WLTP).
This same powertrain of 918 hp and 100.5 kgfm (985 Nm) will equip the Emeya sedan units destined for Brazil. Both models have two-chamber air suspension (independent on all four wheels) and variable damping, plus rear-wheel steering.
For the second half of 2027, the brand also projects the launch of the Eletre X, a range-extended electric vehicle (REEV) version that combines a 2.0 turbo engine with 282 hp acting as a generator and electric motors to total 965 hp. This version, however, will be presented in Brazil later in 2026.
Lotus for purists
For enthusiasts who turn up their noses at full electrification, the brand confirmed the arrival of the Lotus Emira equipped with a supercharged 3.5 V6 engine and six-speed manual transmission. The two-seater coupe has 406 hp and does 0-100 km/h in 4.3 seconds.
Lotus guarantees that it will keep production of this purist configuration active in the coming years, serving as a link to the brand's historic past in Formula 1.
The fastest version of the Lotus Emira, however, uses a 2.0 turbo four-cylinder engine of AMG origin. The car presented in Brazil is still a version with 405 hp, reaching 100 km/h in 4 seconds thanks to the dual-clutch gearbox. However, Lotus this week introduced the Emira 420, with the same engine as the Mercedes-AMG A 45, with 421 hp and 51 kgfm.
The Lotus Emira was conceived as the last combustion car from the British manufacturer and is still manufactured at Lotus's headquarters in Hethel, UK. Also from there comes the Lotus Evija, an electric hypercar limited to 130 units worldwide.
The model has four electric motors, one per wheel, delivering 2,039 hp and 173.3 kgfm. Its 0-100 km/h time is the same as the Eletre 900, 2.9 seconds, but it can reach 300 km/h in less than 9 seconds. However, the weight of electrification takes its toll: of the vehicle's total 1,887 kg, the 93 kWh battery accounts for a significant 753 kg.
Lotus is negotiating the sale of one Evija unit in Brazil. Its price, however, would be around R$ 40 million.
