Overview
- Newly published accounts show Lotus had about 600 UK employees at the end of 2025, down from roughly 1,300 the year before.
- Lotus recorded roughly a 71% fall in sales to about 1,539 cars as dealers and consumers cut orders following President Donald Trump’s 25% tariff on vehicle imports.
- Negotiations reduced the tariff for UK exports to 10% but that rate applies only to the first 100,000 cars, a cap Lotus says limits recovery for low-volume specialist makers.
- The firm paused building new cars for more than three months to manage stock and has shifted operations toward shared services with owner Geely and a demand-led production model.
- Lotus insists Hethel in Norfolk will remain open, is exploring strategic options to restore competitiveness, and local authorities are preparing support for affected workers.