Lotus Cars has announced it is creating a facility with 130 engineers away from its Hethel HQ in a new investment.
The new advanced technology centre, which will also be home to a new HQ for the company’s engineering consultancy, is being based at Wellesbourne, in Warwickshire.
But Lotus has confirmed there will be no relocation of engineering staff from Norfolk nor any redundancies, but that the move instead marked another expansion of the business.
It comes after Lotus announced earlier this month it was creating 125 new jobs in a new manufacturing facility in Norwich.
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The new centre in Warwickshire will see 100 Lotus engineers based nearby at Royal Leamington Spa relocated and 30 more recruited.
The new centre consists of offices, workshops and laboratory space. It will contribute to making the technology for the new all electric Evija – but as with others, this car will be assembled and largely manufactured in Norfolk.
Matt Windle, executive director, engineering, of Lotus Cars, said: “The new space, facilities and job opportunities at Wellesbourne will be in great demand as we rapidly build our portfolio of external projects. The all-electric Evija hypercar is the first new Lotus Cars product for us to deliver, with significant focus on this at Wellesbourne as we complete the project and continue to advance its technologies for our future programmes.”
Phil Popham, chief executive of Lotus Cars, added: “Our engineering and R&D strategy around advanced propulsion systems is lock-in-step with the government’s vision and broader global ambitions for a low-carbon automotive future.”
It follows an announcement by Lotus about a new manufacturing facility it is creating in Hurricane Way, Old Catton, to make the aluminium chassis parts for the Evora, Exige and Elise sports cars.
Lotus Engineering Limited also consults with other companies that build cars and car equipment with offices in China, Malaysia and the US. This division is best known for designing and developing bikes in the 1990s for cycling legend Chris Boardman who won gold at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.
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