Lotus, the renowned British automotive manufacturer, has recently unveiled its latest all-electric vehicle, known as the “Emeya.” In a move akin to its previously revealed “Eletre,” referred to as a “hyper SUV,” Lotus is branding the Emeya as a “hyper GT,” representing a four-door coupe-style sedan.
The flagship Emeya variant offers remarkable performance figures, with an all-wheel-drive configuration delivering up to 675 kW of power and a torque of up to 985 Nm. Lotus claims a top speed for the Emeya exceeding 250 kph, and it can accelerate from 0 to 100 kph in less than 2.8 seconds. Equipped with a 102 kWh battery pack and advanced 800-volt technology, the exact range is yet to be disclosed. However, Lotus asserts that the Emeya can swiftly add 93 miles (150 km) of range in just five minutes using a 350 kW DC fast charger, while boosting the range by up to 80 percent in 18 minutes.
Considering the “dual motor set-up” in the top-tier model, it is plausible that Lotus will offer a base version with a single electric motor, although specific details on this variant are currently unavailable. Given that the rear-wheel-drive Eletre already boasts an output of 441 kW, it is reasonable to expect a compelling performance from the base Emeya as well.
In addition to its technical prowess, Lotus, a subsidiary of Geely, underscores the Emeya’s status as an “electric grand tourer” designed for enthusiastic drivers, promising an exciting and exceptional driving experience. This driver-centric approach is already evident in the Eletre, as observed during initial test drives.
While both the Eletre and Emeya share an 800-volt platform, there are notable distinctions between them, including a slightly smaller battery for the “Hyper-GT” variant, with the Eletre sporting a 112 kWh battery. Design-wise, they exhibit similarities, particularly at the rear, but the Emeya introduces its interpretation of Lotus’s new front design, featuring two vertically arranged LED daytime running lights on each side, giving the GT a distinct appearance. The front design maintains angular elements, while the rest of the vehicle incorporates curved lines.
The unique design of the daytime running lights is not unexpected, as Lotus had previously teased a vehicle with this distinctive light signature when announcing plans to introduce four pure electric models by 2026, on the path to becoming an all-electric brand. A four-door coupe with the project name “Type 133” was announced for 2023.
Ben Payne, Vice-President of Design at Lotus Group, expressed, “This is a Lotus like you have never seen before. We’ve built on everything Lotus has achieved so far to create a luxury performance car for the drivers, designed to inspire confidence, exhilarate with raw emotion and pure joy – connecting them to the road.”
Lotus intends to reveal more details about the Emeya in the fourth quarter of this year, with production slated to commence in 2024. In select countries, enthusiasts can already reserve the Emeya by making a €1,000 deposit, securing the opportunity to test the vehicle in the coming year and place orders ahead of others. However, the final pricing information remains forthcoming.
