Lotus is taking on Tesla by creating its own electric charger which it plans to roll out across Europe next year.

The Tesla Supercharger-rivalling 450kW charger will be able to add 80 miles of range in just five minutes, meaning cars with 800V charging hardware – such as Lotus's new Eletre SUV – will be able to charge from 10 to 80% in as little as 20 minutes.

 The charger is liquid cooled to allow for hotter temperatures and therefore higher charging speeds.

The 450kW chargers will be able to be used by any car, not just Lotus models

Lotus says the system has been primarily designed for businesses as a way to ‘make it easier and quicker for EV drivers to charge their vehicles’. But the Norfolk-based sports car maker hasn't ruled out installing the chargers at motorway services, though.

Mike Johnstone, Chief Commercial Officer at Lotus Group, said: “Over the past six years, Lotus has been investing in the technology and infrastructure to accelerate the transition to electrification. We want to make it easier than ever to own an electric vehicle and with our latest offerings, Lotus is able to provide customers with the confidence to access easy, fast, and efficient charging.”

The charger – which will be compatible for all vehicles, not just Lotus cars – outguns Tesla's Superchargers which take five minutes to add 75 miles of range. When they arrive in the UK, they will also be the most powerful EV chargers available – currently Gridserve's network of 360kW units holds that title.

Lotus Eletre Review