The entry-level Lotus Emeya will set you back £94,950

Lotus has confirmed its four-door ‘hyper GT’, the Emeya, will start from £94,950 for the entry-level model when it goes on sale in the second half of 2024. It has also announced two other trim levels from launch: the Emeya ‘S’ (£107,450) and ‘R’ (£129,950), with the latter being over £30,000 cheaper than the range-topping Porsche Taycan Turbo S. Interesting…

Power for the top spec, all-wheel drive R is supplied by a pair of electric motors that produce a peak of 905bhp and 726lb ft of torque. As a result, Lotus has claimed a sub-three-second run to 60mph - yet another worrying statistic for the Taycan, although Porsche did recently announce that its facelifted Turbo S could hit 62mph in just 2.4 seconds.

Anyway, the Emeya's grunt is then paired with a 102kWh lithium-ion battery which Lotus says offers a maximum range of 379 miles, thanks to more efficient cell packaging. But perhaps the most significant development is the Emeya’s fast charging capabilities, with a 10-80 per cent top-up taking just 18 minutes on a 350kW DC fast-charger. Barely enough time to finish a cuppa.

Since the Emeya is the first Lotus four-door saloon since the legendary Carlton, the interior is sort of a big deal. Happily, the Emeya should score well here, thanks to its 15.1in OLED infotainment screen, Augmented Reality head-up display and panoramic glass roof which toggles between opaque and clear. The 509-litre boot space should also make it pretty adept on the shopping run.

Externally, the Emeya evolves Lotus’ new styling approach, first seen in the Eletre SUV. Twin pronged headlights and a single-bar taillight are among the notable attributes of the low, squat body, and thanks to its heavily aero-focused approach, the Emeya has a drag coefficient of just 0.21. If you’re not too well-versed in EV nerd speak, just understand that it’s pretty efficient.

The CEO of Lotus, Feng Qingfeng, said: “Electric cars do not have to be boring. We are combining our rich sports car heritage with the latest cutting-edge technologies to redefine what it means to drive an electric vehicle. Emeya seamlessly blends exceptional ride and handling with world-class luxury, performance, comfort, connectivity, and range – bringing drivers the ultimate grand tourer package with the unrivalled driving experience of a true Lotus.”  

Deliveries are pencilled in from the third quarter of 2024 for UK customers, and should mark the start of an interesting joust with the Taycan in the performance electric car segment. Reckon Hethel has what it takes to compete with Stuttgart?