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Lotus Emeya (2024) review: the luxury Lotus
A Lotus saloon, but not as you know it…
Fully electric limo with mind-warp speed
Meet the Lotus Emeya, the brand’s second ‘lifestyle’ car. Like the related Eletre SUV, it’s an all-electric four-wheel drive effort that’s luxury first and sport a somewhat distant second. Two power outputs are offered; the regular Emeya and Emeya S share a figure slightly north of 600bhp, with the R upping this to a whiff over 900bhp.
Once again, simplify and add lightness aren’t things you can really do with 2.5 tonnes of luxury automobile. That means all versions of the Emeya get air suspension and adaptive dampers, with even cleverer chassis tech optional on all but the R, which gets it all as standard.
Rivals? The Emeya is over 5.1 metres long, so it’s bigger than the BMW i5 and Mercedes EQE, but shorter than the Merc EQS. There is of course the Porsche Taycan as well, but the Emeya is designed to be a softer, more practical thing.
At a glance
Pros: Sumptuous interior, keen handling, comfort
Cons: R not as satisfying as the S, ceramic brakes grabby, could be more playful
What’s new?
Although it’s not the first outing for Lotus’s Electric Premium Architecture, there are a few changes unique to the Emeya saloon. For a start, the battery is slimmer to help deliver a low-slung profile and has a revised cooling system to improve charging times.
Naturally the bodywork is all-new, with active aero available to boost downforce when you need it and range when you’re driving sensibly. Here, the front splitter is able to drop closer to the ground while the big rear spoiler can fold out, too.
While the Emeya is a five-seater as standard, a more luxurious four seat alternative is available. Not only do rear passengers get more adjustable individual chairs, it allows space for a big subwoofer for the optional KEF Reference audio system.
What are the specs?
Base and S Emeyas get a dual-motor four-wheel drive set-up that delivers 603bhp and 524Ib ft of torque, enough for 0-62mph in 4.2 seconds and a top speed of 155mph. If that’s just too sluggish for you, then there’s always the red-hot Emeya R.
This adds an extra motor to the back axle to boost power to 905bhp and provide true torque vectoring, with the top speed pinned at 159mph and 0-62mph taking 2.8 seconds. It also adds active anti-roll bars to help prop it up in bends, and four-wheel steering for more agility at low speeds and stability at higher ones.
Stick to the Emeya and range is impressive at 379 miles, dropping to 336 on the S. Choose the R and this falls further to 270 miles. Lotus is claiming record-breaking charging times thanks to an 800v architecture that supports up to 400kW charging speeds on a 600-amp charger. The obligatory 10-80% rapid charge time is a mere 14 minutes at full whack, with a 350kW pump only adding a couple of minutes or so.
What about the interior?
If you’re familiar with the Lotus Eletre there are no surprises here. If you’re not, then prepare to be shocked. Then Emeya’s interior isn’t just luxurious, it gives similarly priced BMWs and Mercedes a bloody nose when it comes to quality and ambience, too.
Now, our test cars were generously specced, but even a boggo base Emeya gets lots of supple Nappa leather, switches and buttons that work precisely and not a lot of visible plastic. Everything looks and feels solidly glued together, and the Comfort seats with ventilation and massage are just the ticket on a baking Bavarian day.
The boot is big, there’s a frunk for cables, and space inside is generous. There’s plentiful legroom even with a six-footer behind the wheel, meaning four lanky adults should be perfectly comfortable on a long journey. You might want to request front-seat passengers raise their seat a little, though; there’s not a lot of room to stick your feet under the front seats with them in their lowest position.
Read More https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-reviews/lotus/emeya-saloon/
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