- The British company, owned by Geely, currently manufactures the Emira and Evija in the UK.
- Following Trump-era import tariffs, the Emira now faces a 25% duty as a foreign-built vehicle.
- Lotus cut 94 jobs in late 2023 and eliminated additional positions in January 2024.
Being a small car manufacturer isn’t easy, and even though Lotus is majority-owned by Geely, a tough market and President Trump’s tariffs are forcing it to axe as many as 270 jobs in the UK. The tariffs have come at a particularly inopportune time for Lotus, particularly since US deliveries of the Emira only started last year following a delay.
The company has revealed that all of the jobs to go will be from Lotus Cars, which currently builds the Emira and Evija at a facility in Hethel, in the UK. As such, Lotus Tech, which builds the Emeya and Eletre in China, will not be impacted.
More: Audi Stops All US Vehicle Exports Over Tariffs
After Trump instituted his sweeping 25% import tariff on foreign-made cars, Lotus halted shipments of the Emira to the United States. It has pinpointed the tariff as one of the reasons why it now needs to restructure, and says it will look to better share resources and collaborate with Geely moving forward.
A Focus on the Future
Despite the cuts, Lotus says it remains committed to its UK operations. In a statement to the BBC, the company described the restructuring as a necessary step to ensure long-term sustainability.
“Lotus Cars has announced a proposed business restructure to ensure sustainable operations, amid volatile and evolving market conditions including the US tariffs and shifting consumer demand for sports cars,” a spokesperson said. “The company plans to increase synergies across the wider Lotus brand and with its largest shareholder and technology partner, Geely Holding Group. It will look at greater resource sharing and collaboration in technology, engineering, and operations.”
Read: Lotus Emira Could Go Hybrid And Stick Around For Longer
These aren’t the only recent job cuts announced by Lotus. In November last year, the brand said it could slash as many as 200 jobs in the UK – it ultimately cut 94. This came after a number of other employees got the boot in January 2024.
