Lotus is aiming to broaden the range of vehicles produced at its production plant in Hethel, United Kingdom and include a broader range of models from the wider Geely group, Autocar has reported. One such model that could be built at Hethel is the Polestar 6, according to the report.
“I think we could build it. There is an element of transition, because at the moment it’s just [ICE models being produced at Hethel] but we’re going to have to go on that journey,” said CEO and president of Lotus Cars Europe Matt Windle.
Windle arrives at his role as Geely merged Lotus UK, the United Kingdom-based manufacturing operation with Lotus Tech, the group’s R&D and design arm for the brand’s electric vehicles.
“I think it’s better for the business. It gives us a solid link between manufacturing and commercial on sports cars but allows me to work wider across the business as well,” Windle said of the merging of Lotus UK with Lotus Tech. The new head of Lotus Cars Europe is keen to increase production at the brand’s Hethel site, which sustained a cut of 270 jobs earlier this year, according to the report.
Windle cited the example of Hethel having produced other non-Lotus models in the late-1990s and early 2000s, such as the Vauxhall VX220 and the Tesla Roadster, both based on the Lotus Elise, and this is a business model that Lotus is exploring, he said.
Separately, Lotus’ own electric sports car, the Type 135 is reportedly on hold as the carmaker is assessing potential demand for the electric sports car model. “Is the market ready for an electric sports car? I don’t really know the answer to that yet,” Windle said.
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