√2024 Lotus Emeya electric car unveiled, due in Australia next year

Meet the Lotus Emeya, the UK sports-car specialist’s rival for the Porsche Taycan electric sedan – which claims performance metrics that will make it one of the world’s quickest four-door cars.

The 2024 Lotus Emeya has been unveiled overnight at a global media event in New York City, ahead of first Australian arrivals due in the second half of next year.

The Emeya is the third electric vehicle from Lotus – following the Eletre large SUV and Evija hypercar – and will be manufactured at the UK sports-car specialist’s new factory in Wuhan, China.

It is only the company’s second four-door sedan, after the twin-turbo V6-powered Vauxhall Lotus Carlton (also known as the Opel Lotus Omega) – a distant relative of the Holden VN Commodore sold in Australia – of the 1990s.

Lotus has yet to confirm pricing for its latest electric vehicle – previously known by its codename, Type 133 – but has said it will be “broadly in line with the Eletre,” which is priced from about $250,000 plus on-road costs.

Drive understands that – as with the Eletre – the company is aiming to undercut competitors like Porsche. Comparable in performance outputs, the Porsche Taycan Turbo S claims 560kW/1050Nm and is currently on sale in Australia for $365,100 plus on-road costs.

Like the Eletre, the Emeya will be available in three specifications – an entry-level Emeya, an Emeya S, and a high-performance flagship Emeya R.

At this stage, the brand has only released performance figures for its range-topping R model. All-wheel-drive power is delivered via two electric motors with combined claimed outputs of up to 675kW and 985Nm.

Lotus claims the Emeya R can hit 100km/h from a standstill in 2.78 seconds and reach a top speed of 256km/h, making it one of the quickest-accelerating four-door cars in the world (but not as quick as a Tesla Model S Plaid).

The Emeya’s 800-volt electric architecture includes a 102kWh battery pack – compared to 112kWh in the Eletre.

The company is yet to issue driving range estimates, however the Eletre – with its larger battery pack but bigger and less aerodynamically-efficient body – claims 600km.

The Emeya is equipped with advanced charging capabilities, with the ability to add 150km of range in about five minutes of charging using a 350kW DC fast charger, as well as “boost range up to” 80 per cent in 18 minutes.

Active aerodynamics are included in the front grille, rear diffuser, and rear spoiler to enhance stability.

The exterior borrows elements from the Eletre, with similar styling in the rear light bar, body lines, and curves in the doors. While the front fascia is unique, it is reminiscent of the Eletre – though the Emeya sports two L-shaped LED daytime running light strips.

Lotus design boss Ben Payne told Australian media the first sketches for the Emeya were created four years ago – in 2019, about two years after Lotus was purchased by Chinese car giant Geely – and the exterior of the car was signed off in January 2022.

Inside, the Emeya shares the Eletre’s 55-inch augmented reality head-up display, and features a 12.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system and a premium audio system developed with the UK’s KEF.

Lotus claims it is the first vehicle manufacturer use a fabric thread made from cotton scraps from the fashion and garment industries. Other materials used include Alcantara, nappa leather, and PVD aluminium.

The Emeya is available with a suite of advanced safety features, including autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning, and blind-spot monitoring. There is also real-time satellite navigation traffic information.

Lotus says it has not begun building a waiting list for the new Emeya, however it says it will begin to accept orders now the car has been unveiled.

Over the previous decade, sales of Lotus cars in Australia have ebbed and flowed. Official sales data shows Lotus reported a peak of 71 vehicles as sold in Australia in 2013 and 2021, and dipped to a low of 31 in 2016.

Production of the 2024 Lotus Emeya is due to kick off in the first half of next year, with Australian deliveries expected in the second half of 2024.

The vehicle will be manufactured at the same location as the Eletre, at the new Geely facility in Wuhan, China.

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