New Lotus Emeya revealed: everything you need to know
September 07, 2023 by Jamie Edkins
Car changing is a big deal
This is the new Lotus Emeya, and it’s the first electric saloon car the brand has ever made. Read on for all you need to know about this Tesla Model S alternative.
- New Lotus Emeya revealed
- Electric four-door GT car to sit alongside the Eletre SUV
- Shares motors with that car
- 905hp and 0-60mph in 3.8 seconds
- Around 320 miles of range predicted
- On sale next year
Hot on the heels of the Lotus Eletre SUV, the Norfolk-based sports car company has revealed the new Emeya electric saloon.
It provides an alternative to the likes of the Tesla Model S Plaid, and uses the same 905hp dual-motor setup as the bonkers Eletre R.
New Lotus Emeya design
You don’t have to look at the new Lotus Emeya very hard to see the similarities between it and the Eletre SUV. In fact, it looks a bit like an Eletre which has been squashed in a hydraulic press.
The narrow LED headlights have a similar angular shape to its taller counterpart, although this saloon has two sets on each side. The creases on the bonnet give the car a more muscular look, something which is further enhanced by the massive grille and gloss black trim.
There’s something a bit Audi Audi RS7-ish about the side profile, especially if you look at the rear three-quarters. That sloping roofline gives this four-door car a more coupe-like appearance, and the extendable rear spoiler amps up the sportiness.
Keeping the comparisons going, you may be able to see hints of Bugatti Chiron in the rear end. There’s something about the large oval shape at the back with the thin LED tail lights set back into the air vents which brings the multi-million pound hypercar to mind.
New Lotus Emeya motors and performance
You have to be packing a lot of power if you want to leave the Tesla Model S Plaid quaking in its tyres, and the Emeya certainly has plenty of oomph.
Check out Mat’s in-depth review of the new Lotus Eletre…
It’s powered by the same dual-motor setup as the Lotus Eletre R, meaning it has 905hp and 985Nm of torque. That’s a lot, but not quite enough to scare the Tesla with its three motors and 1,020hp.
That power deficit means it’s slightly slower from 0-60mph than the Tesla as well, completing the sprint in 2.8 seconds compared to the 1.99 seconds claimed for the Model S. Keep in mind though that Tesla measures its 0-60mph times using a one-foot rollout, a system which can make the time appear slightly quicker, so the gap may not be this wide in the real world.
New Lotus Emeya batteries, range and charging
All that power would be no good if you have to stop to charge all the time, so the Emeya is fitted with the same huge 102kWh battery as the Eletre.
Lotus hasn’t given an official range figure just yet, but it has said that it’s “expected to be broadly similar to the Eletre”. Seeing as this car has the same motor setup as the Eletre R, it makes sense to benchmark the range against that car.
It has up to 304 miles of range, however this Emeya will be more aerodynamic and is likely to be lighter as well. Expect to see a figure of around 320 miles.
Check out this walkaround of another electric performance car from Lotus…
Just like the Eletre, the new Emeya will be capable of 350kW DC fast charging. This means you can add 93 miles of range in just 5 minutes, and top up from 10-80% in as little as 18 minutes.
New Lotus Emeya suspension and chassis
Lotus’ of old were designed with one purpose in mind: to be as much fun in the corners as possible. This new Emeya however has more of a focus on comfort for long-distance cruising.
It has air suspension fitted as standard, and it’s an adaptive setup which can read the road ahead 1,000 times per second and adjusts the dampers to glide over bumps with ease.
New Lotus Emeya interior and infotainment
Like the recently-revealed Lotus Eletre, the new Emeya has a pretty posh-looking cabin with plenty of luxurious materials to help it feel more premium.
The overall design is pretty similar to the Eletre, albeit with a more low-slung driving position. The materials used also look pretty cool, and many of them are sustainably sourced. Take the thread used for the stitching, for example. It’s made using repurposed fibres from the fashion industry.
You have a massive screen in the centre console, however that’s par for the course these days. What’s not so typical is the 55.0-inch augmented reality head-up display. It can be used to project things like navigation directions onto the road ahead, helping to ensure you never miss a turn.
When will the Lotus Emeya go on sale?
Production of the new Lotus Emeya is slated to start in 2024, so expect to see cars appearing on driveways in the UK by the end of next year.
There’s no official word on price yet, however you can expect it to fetch similar money to the Eletre. A figure of around £90,000 seems likely.
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