Lotus Emeya Review 2025

What Lotus means to you might well depend on your age. For many the first car that springs to mind is the Lotus Elise. But today Lotus is in the middle of a reinvention as it embraces the electric car revolution - step forward the Lotus Emeya. This is a luxury saloon that shares much with the impressive Lotus Eletra. Prices start at £85k so does it have what it takes to compete at this end of the market? Find out in our Lotus Emeya review.

The Lotus Emeya is Lotus’s answer to the Porsche Taycan, another high performance, high luxury performance saloon that uses its electric power as a key selling point.

The Lotus Emeya shares a good deal with the Lotus Eletra SUV, with some small changes to reflect the different bodyshape. Although billed as a saloon, the Lotus Emeya is more of coupe-fastback. There's seating for four or five depending on specification and a practical hatchback rather than a bootlid.

Underneath the Lotus Emeya's skin is a huge 102kW battery, albeit slightly smaller than the Lotus Eletre. The Lotus Emeya is available in two versions. The Emeya 600 offers 612PS and 710Nm of torque with four-wheel-drive and dual electric motors, giving a 0-62mph time of 4.2 seconds and a top speed of 155mph.

If that isn’t enough there is the Lotus Emeya 900, which has the same dual motor and four-wheel-drive setup but has 918PS and 985Nm of torque, making it capable of 0-62mph in a mere 2.8 seconds and a top speed of 159mph.

Despite the size of the battery the range is possibly less than expected - the 600 model offers between 360-379 miles depending on specification, and 301 miles for the 900 version. The Lotus sacrifices range for performance here.

As for trim levels, as of April 2025 the Emeya 600 is available in standard, GT, GT SE and Sport SE trim, while the 900 version is available only in Sport and Sport Carbon guise. The standard specification is high, with the advanced active air suspension and torque vectoring features standard on all models.

To drive the Lotus Emeya can be a little intimidating at first - it's a wide car with with plenty of performance and technology to master, but in the tamest of the four driving modes it is impressively docile.

It’s easy to control the power and the steering is impressively accurate and well-weighted, making light work of guiding along narrow lanes. The ride comfort is also impressive - it is certainly firm, but unless you slap into a deep pothole it finds a good balance between comfort and sportiness.

Turn everything up into its most aggressive mode and the Lotus Emeya is undoubtedly fast, but it is better at picking up speed while already on the move rather than sprinting from a standstill, which is no bad thing. Arguably the 600 version will be quick enough for most - the 900 requires both self-control and a steady hand to avoid frightening yourself or others.

Comparing it to the Porsche Taycan as its most obvious rival, the Lotus Emeya is impressive if not necessarily a better all-round package. In isolation it is comfortable, very fast, fun to drive and usefully practical. Plus it has a Lotus badge on the bonnet - for many potential buyers that will be enough. This is a car that will get noticed...

Lotus Emeya: Range and Charging

Lotus claims a combined range of between 310 miles and 379 miles for the Lotus Emeya 600, depending on which specification you choose. Both versions of the Lotus Emeya 900 claiming 270-301 miles.

That is behind what is available from comparable versions of the Porsche Taycan 4S and Turbo S at 400 miles and 393 miles respectively. With motorway speeds generally resulting in lower range figures, it somewhat diminishes the Lotus Emeya’s ability as a long-distance GT.

To mitigate this, the Lotus Emeya has 800V architecture, which allows charging speeds of up to 450kW. That means a 10%-80% charge in only 14 minutes on a 400kW charger. That said, these are still relatively rare so expect to wait 30 minutes or so from a more common 250kW charger.

Charging at home will of course keep running costs down although it would be worth ensuring you have a 22kW home charger to keep charging times reasonable.

Few manufacturers have a reputation as strong as Lotus when it comes to ride and handling, but that was built from its back catalogue of lightweight petrol-powered offerings. The Lotus Emeya is a very different proposition, weighing almost 2.5 tonnes thanks to its electric motor and battery.

However, the signs are good right from the start. The air suspension gives an extra level of control that does a good job of handling the car’s weight as well as giving plenty of adjustment. It filters out uneven surfaces impressively well for the most part, if not giving a flawless ride.

As for handling, the steering is impressive for an EV. The lack of feel mean it can’t match the pin-sharp, delicate response you get from a Lotus of old, but it has a good weight to it and is responsive enough when you tackle a series of tight corners. 

Grip levels are very strong too and with torque vectoring distributing the power around the car to improve its ability to turn, it’s hard not to be impressed. It may be a big GT but you can still have plenty of fun in the Lotus Emeya.

The basic hardware is the same for both versions of the Lotus Emeya, with a 102kW battery pack, twin electric motors and four-wheel-drive. Lotus Emeya 600 versions offer 612PS and 710Nm of torque, while the Emeya 900 has 918PS and 985Nm of torque.

While it might be the 'lesser' of the two options, the Lotus Emeya 600 version never feels short on power, even if the 0-62mph time of 4.2 seconds is not as quick as some rivals.

However, the Lotus Emeya 600 feels at its strongest picking up from low and medium speeds rather than a standing start, which in reality makes it more useful in real-world driving.

The brake pedal is well judged and the paddles behind the wheel allow the driver to alter the strength of the regenerative braking easily, so you can set your preferred regen or even adjust it on the move.

The Lotus Emeya 900 is in a different league. While the headline figure of 0-62mph in 2.8 seconds is appealing when it comes to pub bragging rights, it can feel too fast for the public road. Unleash all 918PS and despite the clever power distribution you can feel the car working hard to keep it all pointing in the right direction.

If you have the driving skills it is remarkable at covering ground at ridiculous speeds, but for most the considerably cheaper Lotus Emeya 600 is the sweeter and more manageable option.

Euro NCAP has not safety tested the Lotus Emeya and is unlikely to do so given its relatively low production numbers. But a strong structure should ensure good crash performance and a comprehensive list of standard safety equipment should reduce the likelihood of an accident in the first place.

Lotus does not provide a towing capacity for either version of the Emeya.

It might be a high performance car but the Lotus Emeya is sold as a GT car, designed to carry passengers and luggage at speed in comfort. In the front there’s a lot of good news. The view out is good despite the low-set driving position, there is a large range of adjustment in the seat and the space on offer is good too, even if the large central tunnel does leave the front seat occupants feeling snug.

In the rear legroom is also good, but headroom is a little lacking for taller adults and the amount of room for feet is also a little limited, although this is less of an issue for shorter adults. The rear seat will take three adults in relative comfort but you can specify a two-seat rear bench for greater space.

The boot offers 509 litres in five-seat form and the hatchback makes it easy to access, but the low roofline means the boot is long and shallow, restricting the shape of items that can be carried.

In the past, Lotus wasn’t necessarily a brand you would put at the top of your list when it comes to quality and finish, but the Lotus Emeya is something of a revelation in this respect.

The design of the interior provides a strong feel-good factor, looking modern but not over complicated, while the materials used are almost universally excellent.

There is plenty of metal, leather and carbonfibre, but even the plastics feel sturdy and the switches and buttons work with a reassuring solidity that gives the impression it will stay that way for many years. It feels every inch the luxury car the price tag suggest and is more impressive that rivals like the Audi e-tron GT.

All versions of the Lotus Emeya have a high standard infotainment specification. There's a 15.1-inch central touchscreen, plus 12.6-inch digital displays for both the driver and passenger. DAB, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and connected navigation with EV route planning are all standard.

A 1380W KEF Premium audio system with 15 speakers is also standard, which can be upgraded to a reference 23-speaker setup. Both are incredible when it comes to sound quality so we imagine only the keenest audiophiles will notice the difference between the two.

The central touchscreen works very well, with an impressively clear display, sharp graphics and menus that are on the whole easy to navigate.

Helpfully there are also buttons and switches for some of the key controls such as the climate control so there’s no need to use the screen for every function. The audio system is also very impressive, delivering a high standard of sound reproduction that makes the most of the low noise levels from the electric drivetrain.

Prices start at £84,990 for the Lotus Emeya 600 in base trim, with the Lotus Emeya 600 GT costing £89,990 with the GT SE at £94,990. Go for the high-spec Lotus Emeya 600 Sport SE and the list price goes up to £104,990.

But prices really rocket when you move up to the Lotus Emeya 900 range. The Lotus Emeya 900 Sport is £129,990 while the Lotus Emeya 900 Sport Carbon will set you back £139,990.

In comparison the cheapest Porsche Taycan is £88,200 but is two-wheel-drive and less powerful - the comparable Taycan 4S starts at £96,200. To match the performance of the Emeya 900 requires the Porsche Taycan Turbo S at £162,200.

Despite having been on sale for a limited time, there are used examples of the Emeya on the market from around £70,000, with delivery mileage 2025 versions in good specification for around £75,000, potentially saving close to £20,000 over list price.

Unsurprisingly every version of the Lotus Emeya is group 50 insurance which will be expensive for almost anyone and the premium rate of VED will apply until the car reaches its sixth birthday. 

Expect relatively high servicing costs from main dealers and independent Lotus specialists may not be equipped to handle the manufacturer’s newer EV products.

The Lotus Emeya range was updated in April 2025 with new line ups replacing the Emeya, Emeya S and Emeya R.

Emeya 600

• 450 kW (612 bhp) dual-motor with 4WD
• 102 kWh battery pack and 22kW onboard charger
• Active air suspension with Continuous Damping Control
• 20-inch wheels
• Torque vectoring by brake
• LED matrix headlights
• KEF PREMIUM 15 speaker audio
• 51-inch HUD
• 4 zone climate control
• Jasper interior theme with LOTUSWEAR Performance Fabric for the seats

Emeya 600 GT

• Highway assist and parking pack
• 21-inch alloy wheels plus 6 piston brakes

Emeya 600 GT SE 

• Intelligent glass roof
• Hands-free tailgate
• Configurable ambient lighting and illuminated side sills

Emeya 600 SPORT SE 

• Lotus dynamic handling pack
• Active rear spoiler
• Active rear diffuser and active front air dam
• Massaging and ventilated front seats
• Soft-close doors

Emeya 900 SPORT 

• 675 kW (918 bhp) dual-motor with 2-speed transmission
• Lotus dynamic handling pack
• Active rear spoiler
• Quartz interior theme with LOTUSWEAR Performance Fabric for the seats

Emeya 900 SPORT CARBON

• Extended exterior carbon pack
• Extended interior carbon pack
• Active rear diffuser
• Active front air dam
• Massaging and ventilated front seats
• Soft-close doors