Lotus Emeya review: Elite electric GT is an incredible all-round performer

The Lotus Emeya is the four-door saloon-style sibling of the Lotus Eletre luxury SUV. A big car – it’s bigger than the Porsche Taycan, its main rival – it has plenty of on-road presence, particularly in the Solar Yellow colour Lotus is so keen to promote.

It’s a thoroughly contemporary high-performance electric car, with brilliant performance and first-rate handling. It oozes sophistication, and the high-speed ride is particularly svelte, making for a great long-distance cruiser.

An extra-large battery gives a very generous range, and the fact it can make good use of even the very fastest DC ultra-rapid chargers is a further feather in its cap. Yes, it’s expensive, and both its size and weight take it far away from Lotus’s sports car roots, but it’s a great addition to the luxury electric car arena all the same.

Our first chance to drive the Lotus Emeya came in Germany, where the company took us straight to the derestricted autobahns where we soon sailed past 150mph. It was a thrilling start to an eye-opening EV grand tour.

Independent rating: 8/10

All Lotus Emeyas have a 102kWh battery. This gives a range of up to 379 miles, which is more than enough for exciting and fuss-free high-speed grand touring. The charging system is ultra-high-spec as well. It can take DC rapid charges at a rate of up to 400kW, which is currently faster than any DC public charger in the UK. Talk about future-proofing it.

There are two power outputs. The Lotus Emeya and Emeya S both produce 603PS from their front and rear electric motors. This gives 0-62mph performance in 4.1 seconds. The range-topping Emeya R has a more powerful rear electric motor, and a two-speed automatic gearbox, that pushes total power up to 905PS. That’s enough for 0-62mph in just 2.7 seconds, although range drops to 301 miles.

Standard air suspension gives a beautifully smooth ride. Comfort levels are adjustable by a button on the steering wheel. You can also alter the level of brake energy regeneration, adding further to the relaxed feel.

When the roads get twisty, you can switch it into Sport mode and really sense the Lotus Emeya tighten its muscles. Indeed, the Emeya R is almost hyperactively alert here, thanks to a huge amount of chassis tech including active anti-roll bars and rear-wheel steering. It’s seriously impressive, if ultimately not as fun as a traditional Lotus.

The Lotus Emeya is a large car, longer and wider than a Porsche Taycan. It feels notably more spacious inside as a result. It’s easier to get in and out of, and rear-seat passengers can literally stretch out their legs. Lotus offers two individual rear chairs as an alternative to the 40/20/40 split rear bench, further enhancing the comfort.

The minimalist dashboard is the sort of design very much in vogue for electric cars right now. It’s shared with the Lotus Eletre electric SUV, and is dominated by a central 15.1-inch touchscreen. The quality of all the materials is excellent, certainly up to Porsche standards, and neat options include a full-length dimmable glass roof.

Boot space isn’t bad either, at 509 litres, although the hatchback space itself has rather a high floor. If you do need more space, Lotus will suggest the Eletre to you instead.

The Lotus Emeya has a cutting-edge infotainment system. The full HD OLED screen replaces nearly all the buttons within, but it’s surprisingly easy to navigate, thanks to the ultra-fast infotainment system. The Hyper OS setup features AI and other cutting-edge features, and is based on hardware that would be the envy of even the most hardcore computer gamer.

As with many elite electric cars, the Lotus Emeya’s sat-nav can plan your route around charging stops, calculating energy use and preconditioning the battery before you arrive. Given how quickly it can potentially charge at an ultra-rapid charger, this is important to remember.

Fitted as standard to all Lotus Emeyas is an astonishing KEF premium stereo system. With 1,380 watts and 15 speakers, it sounds brilliant, and the sheer refinement of the Emeya even at speed only helps to enhance things further. If you want yet more, you can upgrade to an even snazzier 23-speaker set-up.

The Lotus Emeya is expensive, but so too are its competitors. The entry-level car starts from £89,500, and comes with plenty of equipment and that 603PS performance. The S has the same performance and broadly the same equipment – the difference is largely in styling features and bigger wheels. We think the R is exciting, but a bit too extreme.

Despite its performance, the Lotus Emeya is surprisingly efficient. This helps maximise the range and make full use of that large battery – as well as cutting the amount of time you have to charge in public. Offsetting this will be supercar servicing costs, as you’d expect from a luxury brand like Lotus. Insurance is bound to be expensive, too.

Remarkably, Lotus says the Emeya will charge from 10-80 per cent in just 14 minutes, using a 400kW DC rapid charger. Shame there are no chargers that fast in the UK yet…

The Lotus Emeya is a very expensive car, but so too are its rivals. While the range-topping R is a step too far, we think the S is a good all-rounder, while the entry-level model is very good value.

Lotus provides an eight-year battery warranty, that is valid for 125,000 miles, whichever comes first.

The Lotus Emeya is in some ways an electric reinvention of the famous Lotus Carlton, which was then the fastest four-door in the world. This is even more powerful, and an incredible all-round performer that brings extra choice to the elite EV arena.