Lotus Eletre: giving the Lotus sound DNA back to an electric SUV with an Active Sound Thor Level 2 + Echo
In 2023 Lotus launched the Eletre. A hyper-SUV weighing more than 2.5 tonnes, fully electric, technologically spectacular. A brilliant car in many respects. But also, by its very nature, completely silent. For the brand's purists, that silence is more than a detail. It is a fundamental question about what made the soul of Lotus.
The owner of this Eletre, a former Exige driver, approached the car with exactly that nuance. He embraced his transition to electric driving, but he was not willing to give up the sensory identity that had always drawn him to Lotus. Here is how a Thor Level 2 + Echo Kit reconciled the two.
The Eletre facing the Lotus heritage
The arrival of the Lotus Eletre in 2023 marked a historic turning point for the British brand. For the first time since its founding by Colin Chapman, Lotus moved away from its core principles: absolute lightness, a centrally-mounted combustion engine and a raw sensory experience. In their place came an electric SUV weighing more than 2.5 tonnes, ultra-technological, ultra-comfortable and ultra-powerful.
On paper as much as in real life, the Eletre is a remarkable car. More than 600 horsepower in the entry-level version, up to 905 horsepower in the R version, and road behaviour that defies its weight in a big way. Lotus has succeeded in delivering an SUV that, in its dynamic DNA, remains faithful to the brand.
But the Eletre is silent. And for an owner coming from an Elise or an Exige, that silence is the hardest element to accept. The entire sound identity that made the Lotus brand come alive has disappeared, for unavoidable technological reasons.
For decades, driving a Lotus meant something very specific. Lightness, exposed engineering, raw responses and, above all, an engine that spoke. The Elise, Exige and Evora all shared that philosophy. The car was not a cocoon. It was a complete sensory experience.
Why a Level 2 + Echo on the Eletre
For this installation, the customer chose a Thor Level 2 + Echo Kit, made up of a single Thunder speaker in metal and the complementary "Thor Echo" speaker.
And this is precisely where the Echo comes into its own: it brings the depth and the relief that give the sound a physical credibility, as if it were truly coming out of an engine.
The customer's goal was never to turn the Eletre into an American muscle car. It was to recover a subtle, sporty sound signature that remains faithful to the spirit of Lotus.
The final result on this Lotus Eletre
With a Thor Level 2 + Echo Kit, this Eletre has recovered what the electric transition had technically taken away: a sound dimension that engages with the driver. And it has done so in a way that respects the car's identity — measured, refined, never caricatured.
No mechanical modification, no intervention on the battery or the high-voltage electrical system. The installation is fully reversible, which is essential on a recent vehicle still under warranty and intended to be kept for the long term. For the owner, a long-time fan of the brand, this is the reconciliation between Lotus's historical DNA and the modern technological reality.
For drivers of an Eletre, an Emeya, or any premium electric sports car who miss the sensory dimension of their former combustion vehicles, this is a transformation that fundamentally changes the daily relationship with the car.
Does your electric car deserve a real sound identity?
The Thor EV range has been specifically developed for fully electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. From the more measured Level 1 to the more expressive Level 4 + Echo, every configuration is matched to each model and to each expectation.
Discover the Thor EV range
The videos of this installation
Frequently asked questions about this type of installation
Yes. The Thor EV range has been specifically developed for 100% electric vehicles and is compatible with the Lotus Eletre in all its versions (Eletre, Eletre S, Eletre R). The installation is adapted to the vehicle's high-voltage architecture.
The silence of electric vehicles is one of the points that comes up most often in feedback from former drivers of sporty combustion cars. The Thor system restores a complete sensory dimension, particularly appreciated by owners coming from brands like Lotus, Porsche, or Ferrari who miss the sound signature of their previous vehicles.
No. The Thor EV system is entirely independent of the electric powertrain, the battery, and the high-voltage system. It runs on the vehicle's low-voltage circuit. No original part is modified, the installation is fully reversible, and neither the warranty nor the roadworthiness inspection is affected.
Yes. The Thor EV range is compatible with the vast majority of 100% electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles on the market, including the Porsche Taycan, the Audi e-tron GT, the Tesla Model S, the Mercedes EQS, the BMW iX, and many others. Feel free to check our other articles where we show the installation on these different models.
