King Charles is set to add a £160,000 electric Lotus to his multi-million-pound car collection, further cementing his reputation as an environmentally conscious monarch.
The King has reportedly ordered a Lotus Eletre in the traditional Royal Claret livery that adorns other royal and state vehicles.
The all-electric vehicle is expected to be used at one of His Majesty's country estates, the Sun reported.
The King has long been known for his pro-environmental views, and this latest addition to the royal fleet reinforces his commitment to sustainable transportation.
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King Charles has reportedly invested in a new Lotus Eletre 'hyper-SUV' electric car
LOTUS/PA
Lotus describes the Eletre as an "all-electric hyper-SUV with racecar DNA", offering impressive performance credentials for approximately £160,000.
The 900 model chosen by the King features a powerful 900hp electric motor and boasts a range of up to 319 miles on a single charge.
This is not the King's first foray into electric vehicles. In 2018, Jaguar had the honour of supplying the first EV to the Royal household with an I-Pace model decorated in Loire Blue paintwork, which was eventually auctioned off a year ago.
Buckingham Palace has maintained its longstanding policy of declining to comment on the King's private automobile collection.
The all-electric Lotus Eletre costs around £160,000
LOTUS
The addition of the Lotus Eletre represents a continuation of the monarch's interest in combining luxury vehicles with environmental consciousness.
King Charles has owned several notable vehicles throughout his life, including a 1987 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Volante, which was a gift from the emir of Bahrain and later auctioned for charity in 1995.
He still owns an Aston Martin DB6 MkII Volante, gifted by his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, on his 21st birthday, which was converted in 2008 to run on bioethanol.
The monarch has joked that the car runs on "wine and cheese," though the fuel is actually produced by fermenting sugar and starch from plant by-products.
King Charles and his Aston Martin DB6, which runs on 'cheese and wine'
PAHis collection also includes three classic Rolls-Royce Phantoms, each featuring the signature Royal Claret livery and powered by 6,230cc, 220-horsepower V8 engines.
The oldest is a 1961 Phantom V limousine that served as a State car until 2002, when the King acquired it for personal use.
Another notable Rolls-Royce in the royal collection is a 1962 Phantom V landaulet. This distinctive vehicle, often seen bearing the registration mark 1 NLT, features a convertible rear roof section allowing the public to better view its occupants during official appearances.
A clear distinction exists between state vehicles used for official duties and the monarch's personal collection, with the former not displaying number plates during official business.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
King Charles took collection of the Jaguar I-Pace EV in 2018 PALooking to the future, Sir Michael Stevens, keeper of the privy purse, revealed in last summer's royal household financial review: "The two existing state Bentleys will undergo refurbishment in the coming year to enable them to run on biofuel.
"This is likely to be an interim measure as we begin discussions around the next generation of state vehicles being fully electrified."
