THE Lotus Eletre hyper-SUV - the first such car in the British company's history - will cost from £89,500 when it arrives next year.

The all-electric model is claimed to be the world's fastest dual-motor pure electric SUV with the range-topping Eletre R producing905 horsepower giving it a top speed of 165mph and a 0 to 62mph acceleration time of less than three seconds.

Recharging to 80 per cent takes just 20 minutes from a rapid charger and Lotus says the Eletre has a range of up to 373 miles or 304 miles for the R model.

Three different versions will be produced - Eletre, Eletre S and Eletre R - with the choice of two powertrains.

The Eletre and Eletre S feature the 603hp single-speed motor while the Eletre R has a 905hp dual-speed system and a maximum range of 304 miles.

Torque figures are 710 and 985 Nm respectively, delivering a 0-62 mph performance of either 4.5 or 2.95 seconds.

The S version will be priced from £104,500 while the R costs from £120,000.

The car is also crammed with technology which includes a new operating system as well as a high-grade Dolby audio set up.

Matt Windle, group vice-president and managing director of Lotus Cars, said: "The launch of the Eletre is the natural next step for Lotus. Two-seater sports cars are not for everyone, and we want to offer a Lotus for every stage of your life. The Eletre is the start of that."

As standard the Eletre comes with wireless smartphone charging, 12-way electrically adjustable front seats, four-zone automatic climate control and many other features.

An ‘intelligent cockpit' infotainment system, which includes Apple CarPlay / Android Auto and a 1,380-watt, 15-speaker KEF Premium Audio, is operated via a centrally mounted 15.1-inch full High-Definition OLED centre screen.

All versions of the Eletre feature five seats as standard, with a four-seat version available as part of an Executive Seat Pack.

Also standard is LIDAR technology, a world-first in a production car which supports end-to-end autonomous driving (AD) technology.

Integrated over the air software update capability ensures the system will be fully ready when individual market regulations allow for the more advanced levels of autonomous driving.

The standard specification of the Eletre R includes a Lotus Dynamic Handling Pack, Carbon Fibre Pack, gloss black wheels, stainless steel sports pedals, black badging and high-performance tyres.

All Eletre customers have further opportunities to customise and personalise their car.

The Eletre measures 5.1 metres long with a wheelbase of some 3.02 metres while boot capacity ranges from 611 to 1,532 litres.