Arresting design? Check. Big energy? Check. Tech overload? Check. You can think about the lengths Lotus would have gone to when creating the Emeya, it’s all-electric GT. The Emeya goes up towards the Porsche Taycans and Tesla Model S’ of the world and a no holds-barred strategy was important for Lotus to elbow its means into the consciousness of high-end luxurious EV patrons the world over.

The Emeya is Lotus’ second EV after the Eletre SUV, and is a part of the carmaker’s larger plans to go all-electric by 2028. The electrification drive ties in properly with Lotus’ new proprietor Geely’s big competencies in EVs.

Lotus Emeya: design and styling

Over 5.1m lengthy and a pair of.1m large, the Emeya is a hulking car. In truth, it’s longer, wider and taller than its pure rival, the Porsche Taycan, and it’s really nearer in measurement to a Porsche Panamera.

The different factor? It’s not acquired the long-bonnet silhouette of a standard combustion-engined GT. It’s an EV, and its type is dictated by the electrical structure that underpins it and the massive 3m-long wheelbase that homes its battery pack. So, quick entrance part leads into a big cabin that flows right into a excessive deck tail. It’s an eye catching form and there are various finer particulars of curiosity.

The curvaceous entrance flanks, a Lotus trademark, come embellished by quad-LED strips, whereas the primary headlights sit decrease down amidst an aggressive bumper. There’s energetic aero with vents within the bumper opening and shutting (petal-like) for airflow and cooling. Even cooler is an air curtain that drops down from the bottom of the bumper on the go.

Wheel arch filling 20-22-inch rims give the Emeya a powerful stance and what’s attention-grabbing is how Lotus designers have used gloss black and carbon-fibre on the wheelbase and roof to chop visible bulk. To me, the Emeya’s tail is its finest angle. The fastback-like rear appears ace, and deftly hides a spoiler that opens in three levels.

Lotus Emeya: inside

The Emeya is a big car and you are feeling as a lot while you’re inside. There’s appreciable distance between driver and co-driver, and the sense of house is heightened by the big glasshouse. The dashboard (shared with the Eletre SUV) is, as you’d have guessed it, dwelling to a big touchscreen. But the broader surfacing, materials end and slick lighting give this inside a vibe of its personal. It’s a cabin that scores very excessive on appear and feel, helped in no small measure by beneficiant use of Alcantara, leather-based and knurled finishes. You may have a full vegan inside, if you happen to so need.

Drivers of all sizes will discover themselves properly catered to on the Emeya’s massive and fantastically completed seat. There’s air flow, heating and therapeutic massage to maintain you comfortable over lengthy distance journeys, too. Rear-seat house is one other spotlight, and it makes a Taycan’s rear part look decidedly cozy compared. The 3m-long wheelbase opens up very good legroom, the cabin is large sufficient to seat three in cheap consolation and the seat is very well padded. Taller passengers may discover headroom restricted, but it surely’s the marginally knees-up seating (typical of most EVs that place their batteries beneath the ground) that takes away from the expertise on the again. Buyers with little use of the center seat can have their Emeya specced with particular person rear seats separated by a set centre console.

Boot capability is an inexpensive 509 litres on 5-seater variations, however house reduces to 426 litres on 4-seater fashions. There’s a 31-litre frunk as properly.

Lotus Emeya: options and tech

The Lotus Emeya is huge on options and the 15.1-inch touchscreen is simply the place to begin. The super-slick display screen controls many features (infuriatingly, the AC vent place, too), and also you’ll must dedicate a great couple of minutes to see all that’s at your fingertips. Drivers don’t must check with the touchscreen for all knowledge although. There’s a head-up show in addition to a strip-like 8-inch display screen behind the steering wheel that relays important data. The co-driver will get the same display screen above the glovebox.

Also a part of the package deal is a banging KEF sound system. There’s the choice of a glass roof that may swap from opaque to clear through controls at the back and front. Also elective, are pod-like cameras rather than standard wing mirrors. While they give the impression of being cool and assist aero, referring to the shows on the doorways that relay the feed feels unnatural. Cars for India are unlikely to get that choice.

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems or ADAS is included and what’s distinctive is a quartet of LiDAR sensors that can ultimately unlock Level 4 ADAS (arms off, eyes off) when rules enable. Theoretically, you might have the car drive over uninteresting sections and take management when the great roads come. I’m on board with the thought.

Lotus Emeya: powertrain and efficiency

You know you’re in one thing fairly critical when the bottom spec will get you 600hp! That’s the mixed energy output for the Emeya and Emeya S from the entrance and rear motors. The Emeya R that makes use of a extra highly effective rear motor dials up the ability to 905hp! Also distinctive to the R, is a 2-speed gearbox to get essentially the most out of the motors. A 102kWh lithium-ion battery pack feeds the motors.

It’s good that the route for our media drive included unrestricted sections of the German Autobahn, as a result of there are few public roads on the planet on which you’ll be able to unleash the may of a Lotus Emeya R. 100-160kph takes the identical time it’d take a mass-market hatchback to go from 40-50kph! The efficiency is psychological. 0-100kph takes a claimed 2.8 seconds! And energy doesn’t tail off because it often does on EVs. It pulls fortunately to 256kph, its restricted high velocity. The Emeya simply demolishes lengthy distances.

Lotus Emeya: vary and charging

Driving with a heavy accelerator foot is unsurprisingly accompanied by a dramatic drop in cost. On the topic, the Emeya R has a WLTP vary of 435km, whereas the bottom Emeya in 605hp spec, using on aero-enhancing 20-inch rims, has an official determine of 610km.

The lithium-ion battery pack helps as much as 400kW charging, and Lotus not too long ago put the system to the check with it delivering a 10-80 p.c cost in simply 14 minutes. At the second, discovering a charger able to such speeds would entail an intercontinental drive of its personal. A house AC charger would be the go-to answer for many house owners in India.

Lotus Emeya: experience and dealing with

Among the takeaways from the drive is the Emeya’s improbable refinement. The powertrain is expectedly quiet, however street, tyre and wind noise are additionally remarkably properly contained. And I’m speaking of refinement at cruising speeds of 160kph! Speaking of which, the Emeya doesn’t characteristic synthetic sounds. No Hans Zimmer sound results right here.

It’s a serene expertise if you happen to want it to be, and serving to the sensation is experience consolation. The Emeya feels actually pliant and doesn’t transfer round as a lot as you’d anticipate a car so massive to. Air suspension is customary match that takes inputs 1,000 occasions a second. The system should work additional time on our roads, but it surely did a superb job of smoothing out floor imperfections on the drive into the Austrian Alps.

It’s on the drive up the twisties that the Emeya has loads to stay as much as. Lotuses are historically small, mild and tight. The 5.1m lengthy and a pair of.4 tonne Emeya is something however. An Elise this isn’t. But decide the Emeya for a car of this measurement and sophistication, and also you’ll see a few of that Lotus dealing with magic shine by way of.

The steering, for one, is feelsome and fascinating with out being overtly sharp. Torque vectoring by braking chips in by retaining issues good and tidy. The top-tier Emeya R that goes the entire hog with energetic anti-roll bars and rear-wheel-steer drives like a smaller car. Grip ranges are very good (there’s full time all-wheel-drive), and physique management can be superb.

Lotus Emeya: worth and verdict

The Lotus Emeya involves India very quickly and might be priced barely beneath the Eletre SUV that ranges from Rs 2.5 crore-3 crore (ex-showroom).

Big, heavy and electrical, the Emeya could be very completely different to a petrolhead’s concept of what a Lotus must be. Thing is, that’s the Lotus of the previous. The model, in its new avatar, needs to be seen as a maker of efficiency EVs slightly than a sportscar specialist. And this may take some recalibration on our finish.

As a car, the Emeya is deeply spectacular. It’s acquired the wow issue inside and outside, and efficiency and dealing with are up there with the perfect from the EV world. Brilliant refinement and nice experience consolation spherical off the package deal, making the Emeya a car that may put on a number of hats.

Lotus may not have the recall worth amongst India’s tremendous luxurious car-buying elite as but, however the Emeya certain makes a compelling case for itself as an addition to a multi-crore storage.

Also see:

Lotus Eletre video evaluation

Lotus Eletre evaluation: 905hp electrical tremendous SUV pushed