King Charles III Drives Lotus Eletre EV Built with Self-Sourced Chinese Parts

King Charles III recently spent £120,000 (approximately RMB 1.16 million) of his own funds to acquire a bespoke Lotus Eletre all-electric SUV at the Sandringham Royal Estate in Norfolk. Although designed by a British team and customized locally, the vehicle’s core components are 100% sourced from China: its battery cells are supplied by CATL, the electric control system is manufactured by a Wuhan-based company, and the body structure uses specialty steel from China Baowu. Described as an “all-electric super SUV with racing DNA,” the Eletre features a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system delivering up to 918 horsepower, accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in just 2.95 seconds and offering a range of 600 kilometers—combining high performance with environmental sustainability. This marks the first time the British royal family has chosen an electric vehicle incorporating core components from a non-European brand, a move The Daily Telegraph hailed as a strong endorsement of China’s new energy vehicle technology. Since 2022, Lotus has established its production base for electric models like the Eletre in the Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone, integrating Chinese “three-electric” (battery, motor, and electronic control) technologies with British and German design and tuning to build a globalized R&D system.