Six months after its global debut in New York City, and just weeks after it completed its final validation testing, the Lotus Emeya has arrived in Southeast Asia, with the four-door grand tourer – which is set to go up against the likes of the Porsche Taycan and Audi e-Tron GT – making its regional debut in Thailand at the ongoing 45th Bangkok International Motor Show.
Two power output configurations of the Type 133, which sits as the flagship model in Hethel’s line-up of luxury performance EVs, will be sold in the Kingdom, similar to China, where ‘+’ prefix variants are available. The first is the Emeya S, with prices starting from 5,990,000 baht (RM777,600), and the second is the range-topping Emeya R, for which the price starts from 6,890,000 baht (RM895,500).
In its standard guise, the Emeya comes as a five-seater, but there’s a four-seat option, which is the presentation seen on the display R variant in Bangkok. As highlighted before, much of the Emeya’s technical specs follows that seen on the Eletre, with a blueprint that includes a full-time all-wheel drive with twin motors and Lotus’ ICC intelligent torque distribution system.
On the Emeya S, the electric powertrain offers 603 hp (612 PS, or 450 kW) and 710, which is good enough to get the hyper GT from standstill to 100 km/h in 4.15 seconds and on to a top speed of 250 km/h. As for the Emeya R, its set-up delivers 905 hp (918 PS, or 675 kW) and 985 Nm of twist. This obviously brings the sprint time down, in this case to 2.78 seconds, while top speed increases marginally to 256 km/h.
Measuring in at 5,139 mm long, 2,241 mm wideth (including the side-view cameras), and 1,459 mm tall, with a 3,069 mm-long wheelbase, the Emeya sits on Lotus’ Electric Premium Architecture (EPA), which is also used for the Eletre, and as such features the same 800V architecture as that seen on the SUV.
At its global launch, the battery specifications quoted a 102 kWh capacity unit, which is less than the 112 kWh unit on the Eletre. This follows into the production examples, with a 102 kWh ternary NMC battery providing the necessary juice for the motors. Maximum travel distance per full charge is quoted as 610 km (WLTP standard) for the Emeya S, while the higher output Emeya R can cover up to 485 km (again, WLTP) on a single charge.
In terms of charging, the car has a 22 kW OBC, with which it takes 5.8 hours to get the battery fully charged from zero via the AC route. As for DC charging, the numbers don’t deviate from that stated at the global launch – at the maximum rate of 350 kW, it takes 18 minutes to get the battery from a 10% to 80% state-of-charge.
Styilng-wise, aside from the distinct dual-tier matrix LED headlight array as opposed to the Eletre’s single strip, the front end of the GT features aerodynamic elements as seen on the Eletre, including the active front grille that debuted on the SUV. Also present is an active air lip, which supports increasing downforce at high speeds.
The Emeya, which rides on 22-inch wheels with 265/35 front and 305/30 rear tyres, also features an active rear diffuser and an active dual-layer rear spoiler. The latter is 280 mm wide, which is 100 mm wider than the Eletre’s unit, and offers a net downforce of more than 215 kg. Other mechanical highlights include an electronically-controlled air suspension system similar to the Eletre.
Inside, the cabin largely mirrors the presentation seen on the SUV, including the large central floating full HD OLED screen and a 15-speaker KEF audio system (higher end options have up to 23 speakers), complete with Dolby Atmos-enabled 3D surround sound.
Aside from PVD aluminium, Alcantara, PU ultrafabrics and Nappa leather, the Emeya also utilises a new luxury thread that repurposes cotton scraps from the fashion and garment industries. Utilised for the cabin upholstery, the company says that the new fibre doesn’t just reduce the material carbon footprint, but offers weight savings as well compared to leather.
No word yet on when the Emeya will make its way here to Malaysia, but based on that mentioned last year during the car’s debut, local buyers can expect the first orders of the EV, which is built at the Lotus manufacturing plant in Wuhan, to arrive here sometime in late 2024.
GALLERY: Lotus Emeya R at BIMS 2024
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