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King Charles has taken delivery of a stunning new £160,000 performance electric vehicle, with the Monarch said to have chosen the iconic model for several reasons, according to an expert. Charles has already taken the Lotus Eletre for a spin, attending church in the iconic model earlier this year.

The 78-year-old Monarch even joked that the new model, painted in a bespoke Royal Claret, was "silent but deadly". Royal Biographer Dickie Arbitter has confirmed that a range of factors would have been behind the Lotus' selection, with everyday issues such as battery life and mileage at the top of the agenda.

However, Dickie stressed that one of the biggest reasons Charles took the model was that the King "knows what he's getting," after the Royal Household reportedly had a model on trial. The new Eletre was manufactured in Wuhan, China, as the Lotus brand is owned by the Chinese Geely group.

Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, Dickie said: "Charles has gone for this Lotus. It's electric. It's an SUV, and it's useful for the Sandringham Estate for him to get wherever he wants to go.

"There are those who will say, well, why go for a Chinese car, why don't you go for a Jaguar that's manufactured in this country, it's a lot cheaper.

"It's not so much about availability, it's about what the vehicle can do and what the costs are associated with that vehicle. What's the battery life like? What's the mileage ratio? He did have one for a period of time, he had it on trial, he knows what he's getting."

The Eletre offers plenty of performance, with the SUV offering up over 900hp and a top speed of 165mph. Charles may be able to hit 0-62mph in just under three seconds, with the model also capable of up to 373 miles in range.

The Lotus isn't Charles' first EV experience; he previously held the keys to a Jaguar I-Pace in his former role as the Prince of Wales. He has also converted his 1970s Aston Martin DV6 to run on wine and whey, a by-product of cheese.

Dickie told Express.co.uk: "He is also well known as being an environmentalist. He can use electric [cars] to keep up his environmental credentials.

"It's a bit like him converting his [Aston Martin] DB6 to run on biodegradable fuel, again, that's environmental. It's not everyone's cup of tea, an electric vehicle, I mean, he won't have a problem in terms of charging."