My thoughts on global postponement

[Lotustoronto]

I was told in March of this year that I will not be getting a car this year. I have not been told officially that I will not be getting a car next year. Just talking with Tony during the test drive lead me to believe I will not get a car next year. He didn't know how many cars were coming in and/or when they are coming in. So basically no cars this year and some cars next year, so my conclusion is that there will not be many cars next year.

I did say I will trade in my BMW i8 Roadster, if that helps.

And you are right. Don't think they really care about a few cancellations since they have more orders than they can fill in the next several years.

Oh, checking my emails I have one from March of this year telling me "A handful may come in by year end and all cars will be 2023 FE cars". Also "You are in the middle for 2023, again FE will be 2023 all of them". "Lotus will continue FE cars". Not sure exactly what all that means, but obviously he was told early this year that the FE cars will continue to be produced for the orders coming in mid-2023. But I was told later that I would not be getting an FE. Cars were expected to be coming in this year (when I was to get mine mid-2023). Since it looks like no cars are coming in this year I'm concluding that my car will not be next year. But who knows.

The i8 will certainly help lol.

As for the F/E - if you were getting one it would have been specced all ready. All Canadian V6 F/E are spoken for. So you would be looking for a base model. I would think once Lotus HQ updates the configurator for the base (my guess is sometime in February/March 2023). Let's see what kind of news gets released in January.

 

[Lotustoronto]

Sure it's a dealer issue, but Lotus HQ should be in charge right? Lotus should be extremely concerned how their dealers are operating, but it doesn't seem like it's a priority for some reason. I truly believe the GM of my dealer is doing the best he can, but I've seen and heard him frustrated about the lack of communication and guidance from Lotus Corp and Lotus of US. He's the sort of person who only reaches out with 100% verified news from Lotus directly. Otherwise it's silence.

Not all dealers are bad. I have had great service and not so great, really depends on how it is operated. As for Lotus HQ being in charged... Well current US dealer laws really puts the dealer in the drivers seat when it comes to dealing with customers. I really think they don't have too much information at the moment.

I will say that a few months back, when the North American allocations for 2023 were announced and everyone on here was relaying the messages from their dealers, mine in Canada was completely silent. Till this day never updated us unless we prompted a question. So even if Lotus is relaying info to them, it's still up to the dealer.

 

[Carbuilder]

All Canadian V6 F/E are spoken for. So you would be looking for a base model. I would think once Lotus HQ updates the configurator for the base (my guess is sometime in February/March 2023). Let's see what kind of news gets released in January.

That is my plan right now; wait until early next year, find out I'm not getting a car in 2023, then cancel. I did read somewhere that the numbers for 2023 won't be known/released until a couple months into the year. Seems strange, like a company releasing their 5 year plan 4 years into it!

And I'm pretty sure that the posting above saying that the dealers are frustrated since they aren't being told anything by Lotus is correct. BUT, the dealer is the one who takes my money and the only communication I have with Lotus, so they get the blame. When I complained to Lotus Customer Support about the lack of communication, all they did was forward my email to the dealer to phone me.

I assume the supply issues will only get worse with the Covid situation in China not improving, and in fact getting worse.

 

[Cutting42]

Maybe one of the posters on here from the factory floor can explain how they do it?

I doubt it, one of them at least seemed very suspicious. I note his posts seemed to have disappeared - moderated?

 

[Matt]

Personally, I think people are being far too kind and forgiving of Lotus.

For those in Canada that have put a deposit down, Lotus has done nothing, zero, nada, not lifted a finger to communicate in any way when we can expect a car. I put down a deposit on an FE. Then was told I would not get an FE. Then was told I would likely not get a car this year. Of course this is with me calling the dealer, heaven forbid the dealer should actually call a customer to keep them informed.

I have no idea if I am going to get a car next year; which will put the wait at over 2 years.. Am I to believe that Lotus has no idea when Canadian customers will get cars? Seriously? They don't know within a year of when delivery will be? Yes, there are slowdowns and supply issues, but that is no excuse for not letting customers know where they stand......at least within a year!

No, I have no sympathy for how Lotus is treating customers that have put down millions of $$'s in deposits. Tesla can get away with it. Obviously Lotus thinks they can too. From a company stand point it makes sense. Why tell a customer he is not going to get a car for at least another year....the customer may cancel the order and take their money back. Better to keep them in the dark and hang onto their money. Am I being unfair? I think I am being realistic. I have worked for a large corporation. You do anything you can to hang onto a customers money.

If I drop out it will not be because I don't think the car is amazing. It will be because I refuse to put up with how Lotus is treating me. Most put up with it. Some do not.

In China, customers are in a similar situation. I only reveived one Email for testdrive, no other email about any progress. So, is there any customer has already got a real car in Canada ?

 

[0pirates0]

In China, customers are in a similar situation. I only reveived one Email for testdrive, no other email about any progress. So, is there any customer has already got a real car in Canada ?

Nah, I dun think anyone in U.S./Canada received anything yet, and not everyone deposit holders had the chance to test drive. Everything about V6 is in Europe and everything about i4 is a myth.

 

[VL3X]

Nah, I dun think anyone in U.S./Canada received anything yet, and not everyone deposit holders had the chance to test drive. Everything about V6 is in Europe and everything about i4 is a myth.

North America production doesn't even start unti January. First customer cars are set to arrive in March-April (or so they say).