► Emeya 600 and 900 driven in the UK
► Fast, but not much fun
► More luxury car than sports saloon
Things have not looked too stable at Hethel of late. Talk of production stopping at the historic Norfolk site triggered a change of CEO, and it’s not like sales of its EVs like the Lotus Emeya I’m reviewing are calming troubled waters.
And that’s a bit of a shame, as the Emeya is a good car if you ignore the small matter of heritage. 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 versions are offered in a few trims each, with the 600 kicking off the range and the 900 topping it. There are no prizes for guessing those are the approximate power figures of each.
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 available on the 600 and standard on the 900.
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 and BMW i7. There is of course the Porsche Taycan and Audi e-Tron GT as well, but the Emeya is designed to be a softer, more practical thing.
At a glance
Pros: Sumptuous interior, rapid, comfortable, technological powerhouse
Cons: 900 not as satisfying as the 600, 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?
Emeya 600s 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 905bhp Emeya 900.
You still get twin motors although the rear one gains a two-speed gearbox to improve performance. Top speed is pinned at 159mph and 0-62mph takes 2.8 seconds. It also adds active aero front and rear, 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. This chassis and aero kit also comes as standard with the 600 Sport SE.
Stick to the base 600 and range is impressive at 379 miles, dropping to 360 on higher trim levels. Choose the 900 and this falls further to 301 miles. Lotus is claiming record-breaking charging times thanks to an 800v architecture that supports up to 420kW 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’s it like to drive?
That greatly depends on what flavour of Emeya you’ve got under you. A 600 won’t explode off the line with the ferocity you might expect, but a stretch of derestricted autobahn on the European launch proved it would keep accelerating long after most EVs would hit a limiter. Swift, not scary.
900s are a completely different kettle of fish. It has the same well-judged throttle response at the top of the travel, with things getting lairier the harder you push. Tamer drive modes largely keep things under control although you’ll need Track mode and worryingly ESC off to get that sub-3.0-second 0-62mph time.
So, brake, pause, full throttle, launch control active message, and sidestep brake. The first 20-30mph goes smoothly and very quickly, until I notice the steering wheel start to twist towards the other side of the road. Torque steer is both present and powerful, as is some movement from the rear axle, meaning you’ll need your wits about you if you’re trying to match the entirely believable 0-62mph time. However, a Porsche Taycan Turbo S is faster still and puts its power down far more cleanly. Both change gear on the rear axle with a sometimes surprising thump.
Hopes of the Emeya being an involving steer evaporate quickly. There’s little feel from the well-weighted steering and no version feels particularly light on its feet. Anti-roll equipped versions do a better job of keeping the car upright in bends with this and the four-wheel steering system boosting agility. Even the 900 doesn’t have a playful edge like Taycans, the always-on electronics trying to promote a neutral handling balance.
It all feels a bit forced and like the Emeya is fighting against the laws of physics, though. Tick the box for active suspension in a Taycan and it just feels lighter than it actually is in all but extreme circumstances. It also provides a truly exceptional ride that no Emeya can come close to. 900s are firmer than 600s with both making you aware of surface imperfections whilst minimising their impact. You’ll feel more around town, making this a great motorway mile muncher.
That’s why I’d have the 600 over the 900. Fun as the violent acceleration can be, the Emeya’s luxury focus makes the calmer powertrain and softer suspension a better fit and won’t overwhelm the chassis.
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.
Our well equipped test cars arrived with 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 during a baking hot summer.
The boot is big at 509-litres below the parcel shelf and is accessed via a useful hatchback. There’s a frunk for cables, and there’s lounging space for passengers inside. 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.
Headroom isn’t quite so good, but it compares well to the far less sleek BMW i5 and feels airy with the big glass roof. You also avoid the i5’s chunky transmission tunnel, instead getting a hump that’s only an inch or two high. I did find the rear seats were comfortable, although some may find there’s way too much lumbar support.
I certainly appreciated the tactile physical controls to change the interior temperature, set the fan to auto and a few other functions, but once again there is far too much going on in the touchscreen, and not quite enough shortcuts on screen.
Disabling the lane assist and speed limit warning is something best done when stationary, while icons in overly full menus are too small. Let’s hope an over-the-air update or two might tweak the layout slightly to improve usability, although we’ve no complaints regarding the responsiveness of the system and graphical richness.
Before you buy
Emeyas undercut their Taycan equivalents across the board despite coming with loads of equipment as standard. I’d avoid entry-level 600 as the colour and option choices are limited and jump up to GT for more choice, assisted driving tech, better parking assistance and bigger wheels and brakes.
GT SE is tempting for the glass roof, hands-free tailgate and configurable ambient lighting, but I’d probably not bother with Sport SE’s chassis tech. As the Emeya is better is a bit luxury car than sports saloon, I’d spend some money on Nappa leather and the Comfort seat pack for ventilation, massage and more adjustment.
With the R, you’re mainly paying for all that extra power and the Dynamic Handling pack which includes the active anti-roll bars and four-wheel steering. You do also get the exterior carbon pack that’s optional on lesser Emeyas, although you’ll have to look closely to spot it. Personally, I’d keep to 600 GT SE, save £35k and use that to buy a nice Elise for a proper Lotus driving experience.
Lotus Emeya: verdict
Let’s for a moment pretend the Emeya doesn’t have a Lotus badge. Looking at it from a cold, rational perspective, the Emeya is reasonably priced compared to rivals, has a comfortable ride, and a luxuriously spacious interior. The S’s range is good, and it handles very tidily, without any noticeable vices unless you’re launching it. In other words, it’s quite easy to recommend as a posh saloon with a bit of pace and poise.
However, it does have a Lotus badge which brings all sorts of expectations. If you expect the Emeya to be a ‘true’ Lotus and a Taycan beater, you will be disappointed. It lacks the feel and fun of a truly exceptional sports saloon, while the R is just a bit much. Perhaps a few over the air updates will cheer things up a little, but it shouldn’t take away from what a good luxury saloon this is.