Hethel is set to remain Lotus's spiritual home and the place where its sports cars are designed and built. But the vast new Lotus plant in Wuhan seems set to become the brand's powerhouse, definitely when it comes to sales volumes.
Lotus's hefty prediction that it will be selling 150,000 of its 'lifestyle EVS' a year globally as soon as 2028 seems a whole lot more achievable after I took the chance to tour the spectacular new Chinese plant.
Factory manager Xi Tan is one of Geely's most experienced, with a well-established track record for setting up new facilities. The dramatic expansion of the group's activities has given him plenty of experience doing so over the years: Wuhan is the seventh factory of which he has led the establishment, although he admits that the first of those was actually a joint venture with Honda.
Work on what's officially known as the Lotus Global EV Production Centre started in 2019, and it was formally opened in July last year. Situated about 30 miles to the south-west of Wuhan city and close to the Yangtze river, it has plenty of company, being within the Wuhan Technology and Development Zone, home to numerous other car plants and suppliers.
The Lotus site covers around 250 acres and incorporates a press shop, paint shop and final assembly area. There's also a test track, incorporating a kilometrelong main straight and 16 corners, which is used for both shakedown and validation work.
In essence, it's pretty much a self-contained CHINE production facility - one that Lotus has spent a reported $1.5 billion (£1.2bn) building.
That spending is obvious throughout the plant. Production of the Eletre SUV began earlier this year, although it's still ramping up towards high-volume production.
This story is from the May 24, 2023 edition of Autocar UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the May 24, 2023 edition of Autocar UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
HONDA E:NY1
How do you like the sound of a version that's better in almost every way for £15k less?
GWM ORA 07
Lightning Cat is poised to leap into the UK's electric saloon market
Renault fills final gap in SUV line-up
Captur spawns more practical, hybrid-only Symbioz as £30k Nissan Qashqai rival
AMG lines up turbo V8 for CLE 63
Performance arm U-turns on unpopular PHEV power for coupé range-topper
Moss hits 246mph in MG's Roaring Raindrop
AT THE BEIJING motor show, MG unwrapped an attention-grabbing new concept car in celebration of its centenary: an electric hypercar named the EXE181, with an ultralow profile and a single, central seat.
MCLAREN ARTURA
Our car's back up to full speed, but can it chase down a 750S?
VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG
Big 4x4s with big diesel engines: things to forget or preserve? We intend to find out
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
Everrati's electric luxury restomod business is picking up pace. Stephen Dobie drives its latest model, a Mercedes SL Pagoda with twice the original power
JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE
Can the American SUV brand's new flagship mix it with the plug-in hybrid big guns?
A110 signs off with £200k special
Alpine readies Cayman GT4 RS-baiting track-focused 'ultimate' model with 330bhp