Tariffs on Emira in US?

[meenboli]

The big picture is that large scale manufacturers are going to need to run multiple factories on multiple continents to feed their biggest markets.

Not all companies are large.

It’s not good. For the US either.

 

[UCLAFC]

Just saw this also with an Emira currently in production, such crap timing. Love this car and willing to pay a bit more but not a 25% bump

 

[Evilllem]

embarrassing and disappointing

 

[Lotustoronto]

The big picture is that large scale manufacturers are going to need to run multiple factories on multiple continents to feed their biggest markets.

The big manufacturers will survive, the small one's will fail, in the end everything is going up in price no matter how you look at it. There are other ways to incentivise domestic manufacturing, punishing blanket auto tariffs probably isn't the best option. I'll wait and see what the actually tariff is, there could be many carve outs like small batch manufacturing etc.... No one wants a Ferrari built in the US or an Aston Martin built in Kentucky. Completely changes the brand, even a Lotus sports car not built in Hethel seems like a tragedy. I can swallow the mass market cars (SUV's etc.) but the soul of the brand must stay where it was created.

 

[weihnachts]

there are plenty of cars on dealership lots.. see if one has your exact specs.. the cars are already in the US so no tarriff

i just don’t see how ALL car pricing isn’t going to go up now. sure, it might not be the entire 25% tariff, but demand is going to skyrocket for used and non-tariffed cars; pricing is going to go nuts.

 

[meenboli]

The fact that the USA imported half of its car sales last year tells you that people don’t want to be forced to buy American cars, just like British people don’t want to be forced to buy British built cars etc.

I’m pretty sure (on the whole) that what’s going on is not what the Americans voted for.

 

[Jinba ittai]

Anyone know what this means for Lotus in Canada? Currently cars are brought in by Lotus USA through Baltimore and shipped up. Will they get tariffed in the US if just passing through? If so maybe it will be enough for Lotus to finally move to a direct to Canada model.

 

[JohnnyB]

As we know, Lotus is a boutique manufacturer. Hopefully, there will be an exemption for car manufacturers that either build or import vehicles under a certain number of units because it's not economically viable for Lotus to move manufacturing to the US due to its small annual production numbers.

 

[JohnnyB]

Tariffs will also negatively impact GM, Ford, and Stellantis. I don't see the tariffs being permanent. New agreements will be made with trading partners and we'll get on down the road (literally).

 

[Ethnic6]

I'm so glad I already have my car paid off lol

 

[Emira Fan]

right on, Tariffs aside 2025 cars are going to be more expensive with options. In a couple of months our 2024 purchases may look like a bargain

 

[freefall_junkie]

At this rate the entire Lotus business model will be in tatters due tariffs. First EU tariffs on Chinese built EVs, now the Emira, Eletre and Emya all hit with US tariffs. Bad news all round

 

[MiamiBlue]

I can't see Lotus being able to afford to cover this 25%. It will surely be past on to the customer.
The Emira is a cool car, but there comes a point when it just becomes too expensive. I hope this doesn't push it over the edge and kill sales in the US.
Exceptionally bad news if you've ordered one and it's not yet arrived in the country. How many will be cancelling their order if the price just went up $30K?

 

[Beachbum]

Every non-US Car is going to see this increase. Its the very reason its being done. Try to encourage people in the US to buy American. Ironically a lot of the "American" cars are built in Mexico(22%), so they will also see a 25% increase.
Will be interesting to see if this really is a blanket tariff, or certain excemptions are made. I would expect Mexico imports of US Marques to be most likely added to an exemption list if there is one

 

[Econ]

Mine is supposed to be on a ship on 3/31, arriving mid-April. No chance I pay $30K more. Hoping Lotus is working on some niche manufacturer carveout, but being Chinese owned I see that as very unlikely.

Hopefully, this doesn't just outright kill lotus as a brand.

 

[MOWOG1961]

After the price increase, a 25% tariff and significant depreciation in the first few years of ownership, the value proposition for the Emira as a fun exotic is diminished significantly. This will be a lot of trouble for the brand in the United States. I'm content to lose money on a car in the short and long term, but a hit that size is not a good idea for me and I'm out if the tarriff hits before my car is onshore in the United States. Heartbreaking. I know that there are lots of enthusiasts that can still afford that, I'm happy for them, but I know its not a level I play at.

 

[Lotustoronto]

Anyone know what this means for Lotus in Canada? Currently cars are brought in by Lotus USA through Baltimore and shipped up. Will they get tariffed in the US if just passing through? If so maybe it will be enough for Lotus to finally move to a direct to Canada model.

Since the CAN Emira's can not be legally sold new in the US market (VIN is not in the American system) they should not be tariffed if only transiting. The issue is if Canada places tariffs on UK vehicles. Doubt this will happen. Lotus Cars USA is an intermediary. If it does get tariffed, Lotus will probably just ship Canadian cars to Mexico / Lotus Latin America and then ship them up from there or just ship them directly to the dealers via Halifax.

 

[HydroJim]

https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/britain-talks-try-avoid-us-tariffs-finance-minister-says-2025-03-27/

 

[Lotustoronto]

I think Lotus will continue to survive, even if they pulled out completely from the US market. They already revised plans when Chinese EV's were impossible to sell last year. This was the bigger problem. On the other side of the coin, does this aggressive stance from the US push other to embrace Chinese EV's? I know in Canada there is talk of removing the 100% tariff on Chinese EV's, which we put in place because of the US. Mexico never went along with it and sell a ton of Chinese EV's in their market. Perhaps other markets that used to buy more American cars will start to look at Chinese EV's as a substitute? The US is a very big Auto market, but EU and Asian Markets are still bigger.

 

[meenboli]

Every non-US Car is going to see this increase. Its the very reason its being done. Try to encourage people in the US to buy American. Ironically a lot of the "American" cars are built in Mexico(22%), so they will also see a 25% increase.
Will be interesting to see if this really is a blanket tariff, or certain excemptions are made. I would expect Mexico imports of US Marques to be most likely added to an exemption list if there is one

It's this kind of dictatorship control that makes me very uncomfortable.