King Charles has reportedly chosen a fully electric Lotus Eletre SUV worth around $210,000 over a Tesla, signaling a change in royal preference away from Elon Musk’s brand. The British monarch is known for his support of eco-friendly vehicles and is expected to have the car painted in the royal “claret” color to match official state vehicles.
Although Lotus was founded in the U.K., the brand is now majority-owned by China’s Zhejiang Geely, with production moved to Wuhan in 2022. Still, it remains a symbol of British automotive heritage, much like Charles’ classic Aston Martin DB6, a gift from Queen Elizabeth that was converted to run on biofuel.
This latest choice shows both the King’s commitment to sustainability and the royal family’s ongoing effort to balance tradition with modern technology. The new Lotus offers high performance, going from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.9 seconds, with a range of 280 miles and a top speed of 162 mph.
Meanwhile, Tesla is experiencing a slump. U.S. sales dropped by about 9% in early 2025, and European numbers fell 49% in the first two months of the year. Elon Musk’s increasing political involvement, particularly his work with the Trump administration, has been cited as a contributing factor to declining consumer confidence in the brand.
While Tesla struggles, King Charles’ move to Lotus highlights a broader trend: traditional, prestige-focused buyers are exploring new options in the EV space that better align with their values and image.
