UK gets charging boost, Lotus goes electric and twin Brits to drive EV from London to Shanghai in this week’s news By Ted Welford, PA Motoring reporter Lotus is again growing its line-up with the reveal of the Emeya – a new electric saloon car due on sale in 2024. Though the British firm is best known for its sports cars, now with the financial backing of Chinese automotive giant Geely, it is expanding its line-up away from its traditional remit. Its Eletre will shortly be launching as not only its first electric car, but also its first SUV. Second in its range of EVs will be the new Emeya, revealed as a striking new electric four- door GT car. Set to rival the Porsche Taycan and Tesla Model S, the Emeya gets a striking, sporty silhouette with prominent side sills and bold front and rear lighting.The yellow and black colour scheme on the launch car adds some further flair too. The Emeya will come with a dual-motor powertrain, with several versions available producing up to 892bhp. Claiming to be ‘one of the fastest electric GTs in the world’, Lotus claims a top speed of ‘more than 155mph’, and a 0-60mph acceleration time of ‘under 2.8 seconds’. Coming with a large 102kWh battery, Lotus hasn’t yet confirmed the range of the Emeya but has said that it will be compatible with 350kW DC rapid charging, which will be able to add 93 miles of range in just five minutes in ideal conditions. The car will also come with various active aero elements, including the front grille, rear diffuser and spoiler. Lotus says this helps it to achieve ‘Hyperstance’, and ‘sets a new standard in the GT segment for ride and handling excellence’. Lotus says the Emeya uses a range of sustainable materials to reduce its carbon footprint, with a ‘luxury thread’ that is made from offcuts from the fashion industry.A large touchscreen dominates the cabin, while a Dolby Atmos 3D surround system is also available.
Further details of the Emeya are set to be announced later in the year ahead of production and sales starting in 2024.
While Lotus continues to produce its new Emira sports car at its factory in Hethel, Norwich, the Emeya will instead be produced at a facility in China.
:: UK’s largest electric car charging hub opens in Birmingham
The largest electric car charging hub in the UK has opened at the NEC near Birmingham.
Capable of charging 180 electric cars at the same time, it is being run by BP Pulse, one of the biggest players when it comes to EV charging.
Opened by the Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt, the ‘GigaHub’ is at the UK’s largest exhibition space, the NEC, that is said to attract seven million visitors annually. It is located near major junctions for the M42 and M6 motorways. The hub is made up of 30 150kW rapid DC chargers, capable of charging most electric car batteries up to 80 per cent in around half an hour, as well as a further 150 points for slower 7kW chargers.There are designated accessibility charging bays too.
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