Lotus Emeya: A Highly-Charged EV Debut
The Lotus brand has been causing a stir in the automotive arena as it transitions from being a UK sports car company to a global performance powerhouse.
Central to this evolution are the birth of the Advanced Performance Division, sublime Emira sports car, its GT4 racer, and the fully electric Eletre.
Lotus promised us that there would be more models coming and that said, the Norfolk-based manufacturer has revealed its Emeya. It’s the brand’s first-ever 4-door hyper-GT and as we have come to expect, it’s fully electric.
Set to go head-to-head with the likes of the Porsche Taycan Turbo, Tesla Model S and Audi’s e-Tron GT, the Emeya is based on the same EPA platform as the Eletre and if we dig deeper into its specifics, it has a 102kWh battery pack that can be recharged from 10-80% in about 18 minutes when using a 350kW DC fast charger or 150km of range in five minutes.
Lotus doesn’t mention the Emeya’s total range but we expect it to travel up to 600km between charges. When it comes to performance and an electrified soul, the Emeya hyper-GT is absolutely bonkers. With 675kW and 985Nm, it glides from 0-100km/h in 2.8 seconds before hitting its top speed at 250km/h while shuffling through a 2-speed transmission that sends power to all four wheels.
Its closest competitors, the Porsche Taycan Turbo and Audi RS e-Tron GT, have acceleration times of 3.2 and 3.3 seconds, respectively. This positions the Emeya to set a new electric benchmark for the Lotus brand.
For better aerodynamics, the Emeya comes with advanced and active features such as an active front grille, rear diffuser, rear spoiler and what Lotus calls ‘hyperstance‘ which betters the stability and handling prowess on the road.
Other features include an electronically controlled air suspension system that has advanced onboard sensors that work hard in the background to observe the road 1,000 times a second and therefore adjust the suspension for a smoother ride.
Taking a glimpse at the interior, it looks spacious, and nothing here seems out of place. Thanks to carbon-bodied front seats, a sporty steering wheel, individual rear seats, a 15-inch infotainment system, and a massive 55-inch augmented-reality head-up display, the interior of the car offers a luxurious and futuristic experience.
While Lotus promises to share more information about the Emeya in the coming months, it’s expected to enter its production phase in 2024 as the flagship model in the brand’s lineup.
The Emeya is another product that seeks to bring the brand closer to its goal of becoming a fully electric car brand by the year 2028, harkening back to the glory days of performance sedans exemplified by the iconic Carlton of yesteryear.
