Norfolk sportscar manufacturer Lotus has established a world record for the fastest-charging electric vehicle using a public network charger. The fully electric Lotus Emeya model surpassed its previous record by reaching a peak charging power of 443kW.
The test was completed by Lotus Al Ghanim, the brand’s official dealer in Kuwait, utilising an ultra-fast 450kW DC charger. The result demonstrated the car’s capability to charge its battery from 10 to 80pc in just 13 minutes and 35 seconds.
The Emeya achieves this performance through its advanced design, which features a ‘cell-to-pack’ battery design. This technology allows 20pc more cells to be packaged into the same space compared to other electric cars. The vehicle also uses a state-of-the-art 800-volt charging system, which is designed specifically for rapid charging. This high-voltage technology is also integrated into the Lotus Eletre, the firm’s hyper-SUV.
Despite this technical achievement, the future of Lotus’ UK headquarters in Hethel, Norfolk, remains uncertain. The company, which employs approximately 1,300 staff at the site, announced job cuts of 550 positions in August. Its Chinese owners, Geely, have previously “denied reports that it was planning to close the plant to relocate its UK production to the US.”
Source: Eastern Daily Press
