Lotus is seemingly out of its element with an all-electric sedan, but has the British company inadvertently created a Taycan killer?
by Dimitar Angelov on September 23, 2024, 10:00Porsche’s Taycan is one of the most hyped-up and popular performance EVs on sale today. By Q4 of 2023, Porsche had sold 136,000 Taycans cumulatively. The EV sedan bumped Porsche sports car sales by 3.3 percent, despite the German brand’s overall sales having dropped by 12 percent compared to 2022. While the electric vehicle market is currently experiencing a slowdown, it hasn’t stopped other manufacturers from entering the performance EV segment with their own offerings. Take for instance Lotus, a brand typically known for its lightweight sports cars. Still, now the British carmaker is giving us the Emeya – a large, EV performance sedan that wants to steal potential buyers, from the likes of the Taycan and Tesla Model S.
While Lotus is seemingly out of its element here, it is renowned for making some of the best chassis in the business, including the one underpinning the legendary Nissan GT-R R35. Today, Both models are represented by their most capable variants – the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT and Lotus Emeya R. So, does the British model have what it takes to compete with the most radical version of the Taycan? To find out, I stacked up the top-of-the-line versions of these two EVs against each other in a good old head-to-head.
Porsche Taycan Turbo GT Vs Lotus Emeya: Key Differences
Both the Taycan Turbo GT and Lotus Emeya R are, four-door performance sedans, powered by electric motors, but that’s where their similarities end. While the Emeya R is simply a more powerful variant of the regular Emeya, the Taycan Turbo GT has a lot more going for it in terms of performance enhancements over lesser Taycan trims.
Let me explain. The Porsche Taycan Turbo GT benefits from a 900-amp pulse inverter, featuring silicone-carbide semiconductors. It also features a reinforced, two-speed transmission with a taller second gear. With the optional Weissach Package, the Taycan Turbo GT weighs 154 pounds less than the regular Taycan Turbo. For some context, this is enough to give the Porsche EV sedan similar performance to a Porsche 718 GT4 RS. Both cars get Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes and optionally, 22-inch carbon-fiber wheels (instead of the standard 21-inch).
All Emeya models feature all-wheel drive. But the two main differences that I found between the Emeya R, compared to the other Emeya trims, are the power output and the fact the Emeya R features a two-speed automatic transmission instead of a single direct drive on the lesser models.
The Porsche Taycan Turbo GT’s interior is in my opinion, the sportier of the two cars and you should feel more cocooned as you sit much lower. The proper term I suppose would be a cockpit feel. The Taycan Turbo GT is all about on-track performance and this cabin certainly reflects that. You get carbon-back bucket seats that are manually adjustable, except for the height adjustment.
If you opt for the Weissach Package, the track-focused Taycan ditches its rear seats, replacing them with a carbon-fiber shelf and adding an X-brace for more rigidity. The Taycan Turbo GT is less spacious inside, which also puts it at a disadvantage compared to rivals like the Tesla Model S Plaid, which is more practical. That said, the Taycan Turbo GT is still roomy enough for four people, provided you have the rear seats.
As for the Emeya R, I suppose its tech-laden interior is one area where it also shines. It comes with a 15-inch, tablet-style, center touchscreen, based on some reviews I’ve seen so far is among the most responsive displays in the business. The good news is there are quick-access buttons and toggle switches for many of the essential functions like the drive-mode selector.
Also, the Lotus Emeya R has a larger footprint than the Taycan Turbo GT and features a more spacious interior with a relatively high driving position, when compared to the Taycan. There are vast amounts of Alcantara and leather, which can be found on the seats, dashboard, doors, and even the roof’s inner lining. Another nice touch is the continuous, symmetric strip that spans the entire width of the dashboard and provides additional information to the driver and passenger. Last but not least is the flat-bottom steering wheel with carbon accents.
Dimensions | Porsche Taycan Turbo GT | Lotus Emeya R |
---|---|---|
Length | 195.6 in (4,968 mm) | 202.3 in (5,139 mm) |
Width/ including mirrors | 78.66 in (1,998 mm)/ 84.4 in (2,144 mm) | 83.6 in (2,123 mm)/ 88.23 in (2,241 mm) |
Height | 54.25 in (1,378 mm) | 57.44 in (1,459 mm) |
Wheelbase | 114.2 in (2,900 mm) | 120.83 in (3,069 mm) |
Ground clearance | 4.96 in (126 mm) | 5.55 in (141 mm) |
Drag coefficient | 0.31 Cd | 0.21-0.22 Cd |
Curb weight | 4,894 lbs (2,200 kg) | 5,710 lbs (2,590 kg) |
Cargo space | 12.96 cubic feet (367 liters) | 15.04-49.02 cubic feet (426-1,388 liters) |
Price | $231,995 | approx. $120,000 |
Porsche Taycan Turbo GT Vs. Lotus Emeya R: Performance
When it comes to driving dynamics, the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT demonstrates great balance with a hint of oversteer. It is meant to be a four-door EV sports car, and it acts like one, with the added blend of finesse and savagery akin to any high-performance Porsche.
You have four drive modes to choose from in the Taycan Turbo GT – Range, Normal, Sport, and Sport Plus. The Taycan’s all-wheel-drive system works with a single-speed, direct-drive transmission on the front axle, and a two-speed automatic at the rear.
The Lotus Emeya meanwhile is the brand’s first all-electric performance sedan, but as a package, Lotus hasn’t made it as fast as it could be. I find the Emeya’s 155 mph speed limiter to be a bit disappointing considering rivals like the Porsche Taygan Turbo GT and Tesla Model S Plaid can reach 190 and 200 mph respectively.
However, one thing the Emeya has going for it, performance-wise, is that it can sustain its top speed right until the battery goes down to 10 percent. Most EVs would severely reduce performance as soon as the battery charge goes lower than 35 percent. I have personally experienced this in a Mercedes AMG EQS 53 where the top speed goes down from 130 to 100 mph if the battery is at 35 percent charge or less.
The Lotus Emeya R has five drive modes – Range mode (for maximum range), Tour (maximum comfort), Sport, Track, and Individual. In Track mode, the traction control has a separate setting where you can choose the degree of interference. In Track mode, the Emeya is a proper driver’s car and Lotus’ prowess in chassis craftsmanship is exaggerated with a healthy dose of power-oversteer.
Now on a final note, these two cars are performance EV sedans first, so I’m not going to ramble on about range or charging speeds here. But in a nutshell, the Taycan fares better than the Lotus when it comes to driving range, as you can see in the table below. Comparing prices, the Lotus may seem like the obvious choice, but the Porsche is lighter, faster, and quicker out of the box, and as a result, should be far superior on track, out of the box.
Performance Specifications | Porsche Taycan Turbo GT | Lotus Emeya R |
---|---|---|
Powertrain | 2x Synchronous e-Motors, 105 kWh battery, 800 Volt | 2x Synchronous e-Motors, 102 kWh, 800 Volt |
Power | 1,019 hp | 919 hp |
Torque | 988 lb-ft | 726 lb-ft |
Transmission | 2-speed automatic | 2-speed automatic |
Range | 334-345 miles | 270 miles |
Curb weight | 4,894 lbs | 5,710 lbs |
0-60 mph | 2.2 seconds/ 2.1 seconds with Weissach package | 2.7 seconds |
Top speed | 190 mph | 155 mph |
Dimitar Angelov
Dim has been an automotive journalist since 2014. Although he is interested in all things automotive, his main interests revolve around, Asian, classic, and sports cars. He is particularly fond of Porsche sports cars as well as JDM classics from Toyota, Nissan, Honda, and others. Dim operates mainly from Bulgaria, but can, occasionally, be seen attending Europe's most reputable Auto shows, and events. Read full bio