Lotus Emeya Can Charge Its Batteries In 14 Minutes
Electric vehicles offer a plethora of benefits over their ICE competition. They are far simpler to operate, require little maintenance and offer sports-like acceleration on an average Joe’s budget. However, the Achilles heel of every EV is their charging time because it can take anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours to fully charge their batteries.
Lotus may have solved that problem because the company announced that its first electric Hyper-GT, Emeya, managed to charge its batteries from 10 to 80 percent in a mere 14 minutes. It did this using the public charging network’s 400kW DC fast charger.
This makes it one of the fastest charging EVs that you can buy today. Global consulting firm P3,validated the feat and recently published their independent 2023 P3 Charging Index for Asia. Lotus’s Emeya beat several leading EV competitors that included Mercedes EQS, BMW i7, Tesla Model Y, Genesis G80, Xpeng G9, Kia EVP, Hyundai Ioniq 6, Nio ET5 and BYD Atto 3.
The report also found that the Emeya could reach a peak charging power of 402kW and an average of 331kW between 10% and 80% battery state of charge. These numbers are higher when compared to the charging capabilities of other electric vehicles that were tested. If left to charge for 10 minutes, the Emeya can gain up to 310 km of range.
The Emeya was able to achieve this feat because it uses a cell-to-back battery structure. This means that 20 percent more cells can be packaged in the same space compared to conventional module architecture. It also uses a new cooling system architecture that is designed to improve thermal performance and efficiency.
This fast-charging technology is part of Lotus’s ambition to make it easier to live with an EV and allow owners to go on long journeys without inducing range anxiety. The company is also collaborating with businesses across the industry to allow users easier access to fast charging technology. It is also developing a range of solutions that include its own app, charging card, and 450kW DC chargers.
Using Lotus’ Charging Card and Lotus Cars app, drivers have access to a plethora of data. This includes the charging network and finding all the information they need, such as charging history, managing costs, and monitoring battery health.
Lotus has also designed various charging solutions that include an ultra-fast 450kW DC charger, power cabinet and modular unit for charging up to four vehicles at once. The system uses liquid-cooled technology to improve efficiency and reliability.
It’s also looking to the future by allowing its charging solutions to handle 800V charging solutions for upcoming EVs. Lotus believes that the market is heading towards hyper fast changing speeds and efficiency, and it is readying itself for such a future. Emeya has started shipping customers in China as of March 2024, and it should arrive in the UK and other markets in Q3 2024.
