USA/Canada Delivery Thread

[981KMAN]

The fact that he had to scramble to get his email pulled down off the Internet also raises some significant questions. Why is Lotus UK so focused on *preventing* US depositors from knowing anything about the regulatory or production status for the North American market? What could possibly be the motivation? Who does it serve?

It could be that US Certification may not be coming soon, and maybe tied to other factors, such as sales of Lotus Electric vehicles? With little direct confirmation from Lotus UK regarding the FE1 and FE2 builds, its just seems like Lotus USA moved to "Lock-In" those buyers with non-refundable deposits to prevent them from going elsewhere when further delays become apparent. This lack of transparency from Lotus erodes any confidence I had in them.

 

[Aero]

FWIW: I emailed customercare last week (right before factory sighting news) to inquire if any North America customer cars were in production yet. Nothing but crickets. You'd think that would've been an easy way to officially confirm it.
I previously emailed them last year to ask about the driving academy and heard back that day...so they are responding to some emails to that address if they choose to.

 

[Nova]

The fact that he had to scramble to get his email pulled down off the Internet also raises some significant questions. Why is Lotus UK so focused on *preventing* US depositors from knowing anything about the regulatory or production status for the North American market? What could possibly be the motivation? Who does it serve?

They might have adopted a policy that until they have cars in the US and can move forward with delivering the vehicles, they are not going to give any further updates to US customers. Any such updates with any room for doubt will be met with incredulity, deservedly so. Not saying that I'm happy with this possibility, but I understand.

 

[dgrace]

One would imagine that Lotus would be feeling heat from their US dealers by this point, having sat around for almost 2 years now waiting for inventory that never arrives. As much as I'm frustrated waiting on my car, it's certainly not make or break for my career or long term plans. For a dealer who's invested in updated showrooms and now sitting around waiting for the factory to get their act together, those guys must be furious.

 

[silent cilantro]

Well if he did get in some hot water there should absolutely be an organized and firm response from this forum with at least 500 signatures. Uncool to punish somebody for being a true brand ambassador, which ultimately is doing his job the right way.

Seriously, can we write this letter regardless? asking for some sort of concrete update from Lotus leadership?

 

[EspritGuy]

Seriously, can we write this letter regardless? asking for some sort of concrete update from Lotus leadership?

Another form of feedback to give Lotus would be a simple Forum Member Survey :
- I would like updates now
- I prefer to be kept in the dark
- Worth the wait isn't working out for me
- Scott deserves a bonus
The specialists here can tidy this up. What say you?

 

[Nova]

No one prefers to be kept in the dark, but no information is better than wrong or unreliable information, as we have learned repeatedly in the past two years.

 

[eriegz]

No one prefers to be kept in the dark, but no information is better than wrong or unreliable information, as we have learned repeatedly in the past two years.

And I think this is why we've seen forum members move away from asking questions like "When will my car arrive?", and instead ask questions like "Have any North American customer cars been built yet?".

The latter is a question that Lotus has the ability to answer with 100% accuracy.

 

[DerTheDer]

And I think this is why we've seen forum members move away from asking questions like "When will my car arrive?", and instead ask questions like "Have any North American customer cars been built yet?".

The latter is a question that Lotus has the ability to answer with 100% accuracy.

Yes, and that begs the other question. What are they hiding?

 

[981KMAN]

For those with an FE1 or FE2 allocation submitted to Lotus through their US or CAN Dealer;

Did Lotus provide the Purchase Price, including Shipping of the Vehicle?

 

[TCB]

For those with an FE1 or FE2 allocation submitted to Lotus through their US or CAN Dealer;

Did Lotus provide the Purchase Price, including Shipping of the Vehicle?

My US FE2 order form and approved submission back from Lotus lists the itemized pricing and total MSRP based on my order configuration. No delivery date. My dealer verbally stated that my car would be build in March and delivered in April/May.

 

[eriegz]

For those with an FE1 or FE2 allocation submitted to Lotus through their US or CAN Dealer;

Did Lotus provide the Purchase Price, including Shipping of the Vehicle?

They send it to the dealership, a subset of whom then forward it on to us customers. Mine didn't.

 

[kitkat]

For those with an FE1 or FE2 allocation submitted to Lotus through their US or CAN Dealer;

Did Lotus provide the Purchase Price, including Shipping of the Vehicle?

Purchase price yes, shipping no.

 

[Emira604]

For those with an FE1 or FE2 allocation submitted to Lotus through their US or CAN Dealer;

Did Lotus provide the Purchase Price, including Shipping of the Vehicle?

Canadian i4 FE: purchase price yes, shipping no. Dealer estimated freight, PDI, etc at about CAD$8k based on what they saw with the Evora. Then add on taxes as well.

 

[Nova]

And I think this is why we've seen forum members move away from asking questions like "When will my car arrive?", and instead ask questions like "Have any North American customer cars been built yet?".

The latter is a question that Lotus has the ability to answer with 100% accuracy.

Well, that's the wrong question, right? Because the answer is undoubtedly yes, but it's meaningless at best and misleading at worst. Just because they may have produced some cars doesn't mean production underway that would meet delivery in Jan/Feb next year. Those cars could have been built for purposes unrelated to end customer delivery.

 

[Nova]

Yes, and that begs the other question. What are they hiding?

I think it's pretty clear: they don't know when they will be able to deliver customer cars in the US.

 

[trackday14]

For those with an FE1 or FE2 allocation submitted to Lotus through their US or CAN Dealer;

Did Lotus provide the Purchase Price, including Shipping of the Vehicle?

Destination/Shipping was estimated by my dealer to be $2200 USD. (The same as the Evora GT). I’m sure that it will be a little more…

 

[trackday14]

FWIW…My salesperson was in Utah for training on the Eletre. He said that they had an Emira there for track duty and he got to take it out. Per his text: “Wow is all I have to say. Thing is a beast!” He is going to try to pull delivery details/expectations from Lotus…

 

[old dusty]

For those with an FE1 or FE2 allocation submitted to Lotus through their US or CAN Dealer;

Did Lotus provide the Purchase Price, including Shipping of the Vehicle?

Like most of the others the price was confirmed but the freight/delivery cost was not - just guessed at. Also didn't promise delivery date but told me to expect it in June.

 

[eriegz]

Well, that's the wrong question, right? Because the answer is undoubtedly yes, but it's meaningless at best and misleading at worst. Just because they may have produced some cars doesn't mean production underway that would meet delivery in Jan/Feb next year. Those cars could have been built for purposes unrelated to end customer delivery.

I disagree that it's the wrong question to ask, especially in the wake of so many failed promises / predictions from Lotus. Forum members realised that it's pointless to ask Lotus questions about the future, and instead switched to asking questions about the past & present and used that info to make their own predictions (which have proved much more reliable, I might add).

Also, the question of whether any North American customer vehicles have been built is only "undoubtedly yes" NOW thanks to that Scott guy.