Today, the new flagship, the Emeya, was unwrapped by Lotus at a glittering event in New York City. Known as the Type 133 until recently, the electric four-door sedan will be posed as a fresh challenge to the likes of the Tesla Model S and the Porsche Taycan Turbo. Cutting-edge tech is flaunted, and it is the brand’s first four-door sedan after the Opel Omega-based Carlton from the 1990s.
Aerodynamics are brought to the forefront by the sedan. An active grille upfront, first seen on the Eletre SUV, is featured to reduce drag and improve efficiency when closed and cool the battery and the brakes when open. An active front spoiler, a motorsport-inspired active diffuser, and an active rear spoiler are also incorporated to maximize downforce for canyon carving and track driving. The active rear spoiler, 11.0 inches wide, is 3.9 inches wider than the one on the Eletre, generating a net downforce of 474 pounds at an unspecified speed.
The Emeya’s interior places a significant emphasis on sustainable materials. Lotus holds the distinction of being the world’s pioneer car manufacturer to employ a novel yarn variety. In crafting the upholstery for the passenger compartment, the brand opts for yarn sourced from cotton waste originating from the fashion and clothing sectors. This choice not only epitomizes a form of sustainable opulence but also contributes to weight savings when compared to leather.
Lotus is also employing processes such as physical vapor deposition (PVD) to create metallic finishes on specific cabin surfaces. In other regions of the interior, you will discover the use of Alcantara, ultra-fabric polyurethane, and Nappa leather.
However, the interior offers more than just sustainable materials. It incorporates a KEF 3D surround sound system with noise cancellation integration. Exterior-mounted vibration sensors are tasked with detecting tire and suspension movement, and subsequent algorithms generate “anti-phasing acoustic signals” through the speakers to mitigate interference. Additionally, for the driver’s convenience, there is a 55-inch augmented reality head-up display for swift access to critical information, along with digital mirrors and LiDar modules akin to those found in the Eletre.
Lotus Emeya Interior Gallery
The Emeya shares its platform with the Eletre, utilizing the bespoke Electric Premium Architecture (EPA) derived from Geely’s Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA). Expected to offer a similar range as the Eletre, which boasts a 373-mile coverage on the optimistic WLTP cycle, the Emeya is equipped with a 102 kWh battery pack, slightly smaller than the Eletre’s 112 kWh pack. This battery can charge at a rapid rate of 350 kilowatts, adding an impressive 93 miles of range in just five minutes, while reaching a 10-80 percent charge level in 18 minutes with a 350 kW DC fast charger.
Performance figures place the Emeya firmly in hypercar territory, boasting an astonishing 905 horsepower and 726 pound-feet of torque. This sedan can catapult from 0 to 62 miles per hour in a mere 2.8 seconds, with an all-wheel-drive configuration that limits its top speed to 159 mph. Power is distributed to all four corners through a two-speed transmission, and Lotus claims that the braking system is of “race-grade” quality. Regarding chassis technology, the adjustable suspension has the capability to analyze the road ahead a staggering 1,000 times per second.
Lotus Emeya Electric Sedan Gallery
Ben Payne, Lotus Group’s vice president of design, expressed, “This is a completely new Lotus, something never seen before. Building upon what Lotus has achieved to date, we have created a luxury car that delivers outstanding performance for the driving enthusiast, designed to inspire confidence and excitement.”
The company is set to unveil more details in the fourth quarter of 2023, with production scheduled to commence in 2024 at Lotus’s Geely-owned facility in Wuhan, China, where the Eletre is already in production. Lotus Vice President and Chief of Commercial, Mike Johnstone, informed InsideEVs that the Emeya will arrive in the US by the fourth quarter of 2024. As production of both the Emeya and the Eletre ramps up, potentially by 2025, the brand anticipates that 30 percent of its total sales will be in the US, according to Johnstone.
Lotus, which has yet to establish a significant presence in the EV era, appears to be making strides. Despite selling just 576 gasoline-powered Emiras last year due to supply chain challenges, the Geely-owned brand has received over 17,000 orders this year, stemming from a combination of Eletre and Emira models. Production of the latter is in full swing, as noted by Johnstone. Their current order book has reportedly shattered all previous sales records, and the introduction of new models like the Emeya may play a pivotal role in revitalizing the brand’s fortunes.
Source : Lotuscars