Electric Sports Sedan Comparison: Lotus Emeya Vs. Porsche Taycan

Lotus took the covers off its new Emeya this week, an electric four-door it calls a hyper grand tourer. Like the Eletre SUV, the Emeya is a world apart from the brand's famous lightweight coupes like the Elise, and that has put Lotus in the firing line of cars it would not traditionally have considered rivals. The Porsche Taycan is one of those rivals, and like the Emeya, it's a low-slung four-door EV that does luxury as capably as it does speed. For both manufacturers, the challenge was to incorporate that traditional driver-focused DNA into a large EV. Porsche proved it could do this with the fun-to-drive Taycan, and while we can't tell you yet if Lotus has pulled off the same trick with the Emeya, we can compare the two EVs based on the information we have.

Despite the Taycan being an older design, it holds up well alongside the fresh Emeya. The two have similar profiles in that each dons a coupe-like tapering roofline. Both cars have striking headlights; the Emeya's split-headlight design contrasts with the Taycan's more traditional clusters that extend into vertical vents. Overall, the Emeya's front fascia seems heavier and taller, with more pronounced bumpers than the Taycan's gentler surfacing.

The Lotus Emeya has a contrasting roof and pillars and flush-fitting door handles, and its wheels look larger than those on the Porsche. Both cars have a full-width taillight strip, but from this rear angle, we prefer the less bulbous Taycan with its 911-like design, instantly linking the EV to the legendary sports car. The tail-end of the Lotus is less obviously Lotus, but it does feature an active dual-layer rear spoiler.

It's unknown if the two cars are similar in size since Lotus hasn't shared dimensions for the Emeya, but we expect it to get close to the Taycan's length of about 195 inches. Although the Eletre may turn more heads in the flesh, for now, we feel the Taycan Turbo has a more resolved design.

Some enthusiasts still put a lot of stock in raw performance data, even if the vast majority of drivers won't be able to discern between a few tenths of a second here or there.

So far, Lotus has only divulged the technical specs of a single dual-motor, all-wheel-drive model that makes 905 horsepower and 726 lb-ft of torque. We suspect that a less powerful variant will be available at some point with around 600 hp, but this powerful version can reach 62 mph in under 2.8 seconds before going on to a top speed of 159 mph. These numbers are most comparable to the top-spec Taycan Turbo S which also has dual motors. Even though the Porsche makes "only" 750 hp, it has more torque at 774 lb-ft, so its 0-60 mph time is a very impressive 2.6 seconds. Its top speed is 161 mph. In a straight line, then, there is very little to separate the two.

However, Porsche is rumored to be working on a more powerful model called the Taycan Turbo GT which may get as much as 1,000 hp.

The Taycan powertrain lineup is much broader and includes a base rear-wheel drive model with up to 402 hp. We expect that the Emeya will start off at a higher point. Both cars have a two-speed transmission.

The Taycan Turbo's adaptive air suspension and well-tuned steering deliver a deeply impressive balance between a comfortable ride and sporty, engaging handling. It is clearly engineered to be a Porsche first and an EV second, and this is one of its greatest achievements. The Emeya will also come with an air suspension, while the so-called "hyperstance" and low center of gravity promise excellent driving dynamics. We can't wait to see how it competes with the Porsche.

We don't know everything about the Emeya's 102-kWh battery and range specs, but Lotus says it will roughly match the Eletre's range of between 304 and 373 miles. That's on the WLTP cycle, however, so it's more realistic to expect the Emeya's maximum range to be up to 315 miles or so. The Taycan Turbo S is not very impressive in this area - the latest EPA figures indicate that it can go 222 miles on a full charge. The less powerful Taycan Turbo can manage 238 miles. A smaller 93.4-kWh battery is equipped to the Taycan Turbo.

The Emeya is capable of charging at up to 350 kW, adding around 93 miles of range in only five minutes, or an 18-minute charge can get the battery from 10-80%. Again, this is better than the Taycan's 270-kW maximum charging speed.

Both cars have high-tech, modern interiors with a rear seating area sculpted for just two passengers. However, the Porsche can be optioned with a rear bench seat if you really do need to transport three people at the back.

In the Emeya, the highlights include various sustainable materials like repurposed fibers, a 15.1-inch OLED central screen, a smaller front passenger display, a 55-inch augmented reality head-up display, and a powerful KEF sound system with Dolby Atmos 3D surround sound. The Porsche counters with its 16.8-inch curved display, another 10.9-inch display ahead of the front passenger, and an available Burmester sound system with 21 speakers.

The Taycan's interior is superbly constructed, so the Emeya has a high standard to live up to. Both will be available with the very latest driver assists, too.

Lotus has not yet revealed pricing for the Emeya, but we expect the 905-horsepower version to cost at least $150,000. It remains to be seen how much less powerful and cheaper potential base models will be. For the Taycan, you can pay anywhere from $90,900 for the base RWD model to an eye-popping $194,900 for the Turbo S.

For now, the Emeya seems to have the performance and technology to take on the Taycan, and its initial range estimates appear better. However, the Porsche is still the driver's benchmark for electric sports sedans, and Lotus will have to draw on all its chassis-tuning experience to match it.

We'll see which high-end EV takes the lead when the Lotus arrives, likely in 2025.