USA/Canada Delivery Thread

[idleuser]

Well.. this is kind of off topic but has anyone seen any evidences of Lotus getting the certification process ready for the US? According to Gordon Murray, you got to crash about 30 cars to get federally certified.


2024 is looking more and more likely.

 

[Cachaco131]

It's funny when you consider what all of of us North Americans in this thread would do to get our hands on our cars, and then meanwhile on autotrader UK, dozens of Emira listings just sit there for months... https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?postcode=sw1w0ny&make=Lotus&model=Emira

But we will hopefully get a version with less issues. Hopefully.

 

[kitkat]

Well.. this is kind of off topic but has anyone seen any evidences of Lotus getting the certification process ready for the US? According to Gordon Murray, you got to crash about 30 cars to get federally certified.


2024 is looking more and more likely.

They said oct-dec was earliest.

Edit: Of 2023

 

[DerTheDer]

We have sharp shooters eyes the manifests at the ports and so far have seen no evidence of 30+ Emiras being delivered, although they would potentially stagger them. I believe it will be closer to the date since I believe some NA parts are different (lights).

 

[Eagle7]

Well.. this is kind of off topic but has anyone seen any evidences of Lotus getting the certification process ready for the US? According to Gordon Murray, you got to crash about 30 cars to get federally certified.


2024 is looking more and more likely.

That was done awhile ago. Matt said in either a video interview or written (can't remember which) that they were going to have to destroy about 80 Emiras to pass all the tests. He even mentioned they were painted in a special blue so they knew which ones were destined for testing.

I believe everything is done for U.S. certification and all the paperwork has been filed. They're now just waiting for the board or whatever the group is called to get around to their paperwork and certify it. According to the estimate, that's supposed to be sometime in the 4th quarter of this year, then the cars can be released and sold.

 

[benjh1028]

That was done awhile ago. Matt said in either a video interview or written (can't remember which) that they were going to have to destroy about 80 Emiras to pass all the tests. He even mentioned they were painted in a special blue so they knew which ones were destined for testing.

I believe everything is done for U.S. certification and all the paperwork has been filed. They're now just waiting for the board or whatever the group is called to get around to their paperwork and certify it. According to the estimate, that's supposed to be sometime in the 4th quarter of this year, then the cars can be released and sold.

So the physical tests have been performed?

 

[DerTheDer]

So the physical tests have been performed?

Its all speculation at this point. All signs lead to no they have not. If they HAD been done, the agencys would be able to give a timeline of estimated completion. Lotus just doing Lotus things and took this as a grace.

 

[Eagle7]

So the physical tests have been performed?

Yes, that's my understanding.

 

[Eagle7]

Its all speculation at this point. All signs lead to no they have not. If they HAD been done, the agencys would be able to give a timeline of estimated completion. Lotus just doing Lotus things and took this as a grace.

The timeline of estimated processing of the paperwork and approval WAS given, and the dealers were told it would be Nov./Dec. of this year. The work has all been done.

 

[981KMAN]

The timeline of estimated processing of the paperwork and approval WAS given, and the dealers were told it would be Nov./Dec. of this year. The work has all been done.

In my view, I do not believe that the Emira has passed all NHTSA & EPA testing. The Nov./Dec. date is an estimate, just like all the other dates Lotus has provided.

 

[Eagle7]

In my view, I do not believe that the Emira has passed all NHTSA & EPA testing. The Nov./Dec. date is an estimate, just like all the other dates Lotus has provided.

Why? What is your view based on?

 

[Lotustoronto]

Why? What is your view based on?

I'm guessing he is basing it on Lotus' track record during the last two years. If someone was to bet me 10K North American cars would be delivered to customers November 2024....well I wouldn't take the bet. Would you?

 

[Eagle7]

I'm guessing he is basing it on Lotus' track record during the last two years. If someone was to bet me 10K North American cars would be delivered to customers November 2024....well I wouldn't take the bet. Would you?

I'm going by what my dealer said they were told at the big meeting recently.

According to someone who recently went to a factory tour, they're producing 20 cars a day now. They have to produce 700 for North America, so 700 / 20 = 35 days of production, then cars go to the docks to be loaded on a ship. I don't know how long it takes a cargo ship to cross the Atlantic nowadays, but once it does I'm assuming the POE will be New York. So let's say it takes 2 months for the loading, trip and unloading. Lotus could produce all the cars in August/September, and have them here in the U.S. by November or December, as they told the dealers.

Is that possible? Sure, why not.

As far as delivering 10,000 cars by November 2024, at the current run rate of 20 cars a day, that would take 500 days of production, so no, I don't see them being able to deliver that many cars next year.

 

[Lotustoronto]

I'm going by what my dealer said they were told at the big meeting recently.

According to someone who recently went to a factory tour, they're producing 20 cars a day now. They have to produce 700 for North America, so 700 / 20 = 35 days of production, then cars go to the docks to be loaded on a ship. I don't know how long it takes a cargo ship to cross the Atlantic nowadays, but once it does I'm assuming the POE will be New York. So let's say it takes 2 months for the loading, trip and unloading. Lotus could produce all the cars in August/September, and have them here in the U.S. by November or December, as they told the dealers.

Is that possible? Sure, why not.

As far as delivering 10,000 cars by November 2024, at the current run rate of 20 cars a day, that would take 500 days of production, so no, I don't see them being able to deliver that many cars next year.

Yes, it is absolutely possible. They can certainly do it if they want to... I am looking at it from a different perspective. They are now on the i4 launch, building, shipping, marketing etc.

My humble guess is they have found a few issues in the V6 and went back to some suppliers to ensure those specific parts a rectified in some way / assembling on the line differently. I am assuming the i4 will have a lot of different parts and some differences in electrical (ECU, steering pumps, gearbox etc.) The way I look at it, V6's are now in model year 2 and they are doing a majority of fixes that they have found on model year 1 V6's. The i4 F/E will now begin this same process and my guess they will be building them for another 6 months (like the V6 F/E ) before switching back to the 2nd year V6. Perhaps they will now run the lines together, V6 and i4 or give the i4 a bit of a break to see if there are any issues that need to be rectified while North American V6 cars are in production.

Either way you are correct that if they want to it can be delivered by NOV this year. However, I still wouldn't bet on it.

 

[981KMAN]

In my view, I do not believe that the Emira has passed all NHTSA & EPA testing. The Nov./Dec. date is an estimate, just like all the other dates Lotus has provided.

My view will change when the Emira is listed on the NHTSA website. Until then it's anybody's guess if it's approved or not. The US dealers only repeat what Lotus USA says, and they repeat what Lotus UK says, which has been unreliable so far.

 

[981KMAN]

Why? What is your view based on?

I don't see NHTSA approval given to a car with known safety defects like the Windshield Wipers. Lotus needs to fix the safety issues before selling Emira's in the US.

 

[DerTheDer]

The timeline of estimated processing of the paperwork and approval WAS given, and the dealers were told it would be Nov./Dec. of this year. The work has all been done.

I don't see NHTSA approval given to a car with known safety defects like the Windshield Wipers. Lotus needs to fix the safety issues before selling Emira's in the US.

Agreed. I think Eagles drinking the kool-aid that lotus is serving them. Where has he been the last 2 years? Lol.

 

[NicolasB]

Agreed. I think Eagles drinking the kool-aid that lotus is serving them. Where has he been the last 2 years? Lol.

Drinking & serving it

 

[981KMAN]

So I downloaded the latest EPA Annual Certified Light Vehicle list from the EPA website. Lots of new model 2024 vehicles listed from Honda, Kia, BMW, Aston Martin, Porsche, GM, etc.... Yet NOTHING from Lotus.

The last Lotus entry was for the 2021 Lotus Evora GT.

So I'm concluding that the EPA Certification for the Emira has not yet been completed/approved.

 

[Eagle7]

I don't see NHTSA approval given to a car with known safety defects like the Windshield Wipers. Lotus needs to fix the safety issues before selling Emira's in the US.

Point taken.

My dealer told me the paperwork had been submitted, just not approved yet, so the estimate for actual approval being Nov./Dec., I'm assuming Lotus is aware of what needs to be done and projects having it done by then, but who know. It's Lotus.