The new Lotus Emeya costs £94,950 and offers up to 905bhp
The Lotus Emeya packs the firm’s new-age EV tech in a four-door GT bodystyle
Lotus has set itself the onerous task of selling 150,000 cars per year by 2028, and it's launching a series of cutting-edge EVs to do so. The latest is this: the Emeya electric saloon. It uses the same core technology as the Eletre SUV, and while that car is expected to hoover up more sales, the lower, lighter Emeya should be more in line with the character we expect from a Lotus. It costs from £94,950 and is available to order now.
Designed to compete with high-end four-door EVs from Porsche, Mercedes-AMG and Tesla, much of the Emeya’s mechanical specification is already familiar. Riding on the same 800V Electric Premium Architecture (EPA) platform as its SUV stablemate, it uses a pair of electric motors (one at each axle) to generate 893bhp in top-spec, £129,950 R form – that's 21bhp more than the similarly-priced Taycan Turbo.
To give the powertrain more flexibility (if it needs such a thing), the rear motor uses a two-speed transmission to optimise power delivery across different speed ranges, and the effect is dramatic. The Emeya R sprints to 62mph from rest in just 2.78sec, and goes on to a top speed of 159mph. It won't be a lightweight given that the closely related Eletre weighs 2490kg, but those performance figures are competitive with other electric GTs.
The base Emeya (£94,950) and Emeya S (£107,450) are expected to use the 595bhp dual-motor setup found in the Eletre, with the S bringing a bump in equipment and specification. The Emeya can achieve up to 379 miles from its 102kWh battery – slightly more than the 112kWh Eletre – and topping up from 10-80 per cent takes 18 minutes thanks to 350kW rapid charging capability.
Lotus promises that the new saloon will offer class leading dynamics, thanks in part to its electronically controlled air suspension; this scans the road ahead 1000 times a second to prime itself for the surface, continuously adjusting the dampers to optimise ride quality and control. The Eletre’s suite of chassis electronics – designed to conjure the agile, accurate feel that defines the brand – are carried over, including rear-wheel steering and active anti-roll bars. Carbon ceramic brakes are available, too.
The ‘porous’ design theme set out by the Evija hypercar, and subsequently followed by the Emira and Eletre, continues here. Air channels and active flaps in the front grille direct flow around the car to improve efficiency, while providing cooling for the Emeya’s battery and brakes. Performance-led elements such as a deployable rear lip spoiler and an active diffuser contribute to 150kg of downforce at 150mph.
The Emeya’s interior is trimmed in sustainable fabrics and repurposed cotton, with the same tech-heavy environment seen first in the Eletre. An enormous 15.1-inch touchscreen dominates the dashboard, flanked by two display strips to relay driving and media information to the front occupants. Motorised doors, a Dolby Atmos-enabled KEF sound system and massaging seats are among the tech highlights.
Order books for the Emeya are open now, with first deliveries scheduled for Q3 this year. Pitting it against the new Porsche Taycan – which went on sale earlier this year – will make for an intriguing EV saloon contest.
