Lotus announced the Emira First Edition for the United States back in 2021, but deliveries of the British sports car have still not started. Hundreds of units are sitting in dealerships across the US because Lotus has not yet received emissions certification from the California Air Resource Board (CARB).
The news of the delayed launch of the Emira comes after years of supply-related restrictions for the sports car brand. But the wait could soon be over. This is what a Lotus spokesperson said Automotive News it performed software updates to the Emira’s powertrain to certify the car with CARB. That process has been completed, but the environmental regulator has not yet given the final stamp of approval. Now, according to Lotus, potential owners only have to wait until the certification is approved.
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Fourteen states currently adhere to CARB emissions rules, including places like New York, New Jersey and Maryland. The remaining 36 states follow the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) vehicle regulations. Lotus does not sell the Emira in EPA-regulated states because buyers could potentially flip the cars in CARB-regulated areas where the model’s powertrain would not meet local statutes and therefore could not be registered.
The six-cylinder version of the Emira does not use a particularly exotic engine. A Toyota 2GR-FE 3.5-liter V6 with an Edelbrock 1740 supercharger produces 400 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. It’s actually less powerful than the 416bhp Evora GT, which used the same power-induced, Toyota-sourced mill. The Emira’s rev limit is 6,800 rpm, compared to the Evora’s 7,200, to prevent the valves from floating during hard driving. Theoretically, it shouldn’t be too difficult to get an engine that has received CARB certification in the past to receive the same certification again.
The Toyota V6 is not the only engine that Lotus wants to use in the Emira. The company will later offer a four-cylinder Emira in the US. The Mercedes-AMG-sourced 2.0-liter turbocharged engine will produce 360 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque. Both versions can be configured on the company’s US site, but there’s no word on when sales of the four-cylinder model will begin, or if this too will be held up by CARB regulations.
It is not surprising that users of the Lotus conversation forum are not happy with the situation in Emira as some of them have already placed reservations in 2021. Members have posted photos of rows of cars with “Sold” signs on them, waiting for CARB certification so deliveries can begin. Research into the Emira Car dealer shows 186 listings in the US. However, some are marked ‘Pending Sale’, so the actual number of cars available is likely slightly lower. Prices range from $94,062 to $109,150.