Newest car production facility in the world opens in Hethel, Norfolk
The new manufacturing facility where Lotus will build the Evija all-electric hypercar is being readied for final prototype production.
The hall is situated at the brand’s historic home of Hethel, in Norfolk, UK. It has been built trackside, next to Lotus’ storied 2.2-mile circuit which has hosted testing and shake-down sessions with many Formula 1 legends such as Ayrton Senna, Emerson Fittipaldi, Jim Clark and others.
The result is a versatile and inspiring workspace that will see Lotus hand-build up to 130 examples of the Evija. The first year’s production allocation is already designated to customers around the world. Series production and first customer deliveries of the all-electric two-seater will begin in the summer.
Phil Popham, CEO, Lotus Cars, commented: “This is now the newest car production facility in the world, and to witness it move from the drawing board to reality has been deeply satisfying. It’s testament to the commitment of all involved, and is the perfect sleek and high-tech production home for the Evija at our iconic Hethel headquarters.”
He unveiled the completed hall to more than 1,400 Lotus employees during a series of staff briefings held in the new facility, telling them: “With our new factory ready, we are ahead of the pack in the emerging EV hypercar segment and 100 per cent ready for some healthy competition.”
Strategically adjacent to the Lotus HQ and building on this existing expertise in advanced engineering and technology, Hethel Innovation is home to some of the brightest business brains in the region, with a growing community of start-up and scale-up firms. It is home to the New Anglia Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (NAAME), the region’s sector group for manufacturing and engineering, as well as GoBio, which is working to address key challenges and opportunities for the bioeconomy across the East of England, and Cleantech East, a sector network bringing together students, businesses and researchers to encourage innovation and knowledge transfer, facilitating the transition towards a circular economy within the East.
To find out more about the opportunities for businesses and investors at Hethel, please contact Linn@techcorridor.co.uk
