Lotus has confirmed its Norfolk plant remains vital for its exports, reassuring Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds it has no plans to shut the factory. This commitment comes as the sports car maker prepares to resume production, with the reduction of US tariffs making its significant exports to the US more viable.
The urgent Sunday meeting aimed to clarify Lotus’s intentions after concerns emerged about a potential move of production to the US, which could have jeopardized 1,300 jobs. A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson stated that Reynolds “was reassured by management that they are committed to their UK operations and have no plans to close their Hethel plant.”
Lotus had paused production in mid-May due to the 25% US tariffs. With these tariffs dropping to 10% on Monday, the economic environment for Lotus’s exports (around 60% of Emira sales go to the US) has dramatically improved, allowing for a resumption of normal operations.
Despite earlier discussions by Lotus Technology’s CEO about exploring US “localisation plans,” the immediate future sees the Hethel plant continuing its operations, producing both the Emira sports car and an electric hypercar. The government’s broader commitment to supporting the automotive sector further underpins this positive outlook.