Lotus: owner, models, markets and what the name means
Facts checked United States status as of 4 September 2026
- Private
- Hong Kong Stock Exchange 0175
- Nasdaq Stockholm VOLCAR B
- Nasdaq PSNY
- Nasdaq LOT
Lotus is a British sports car maker and engineering consultancy based at Hethel in Norfolk. Geely Holding bought 51% of its parent, Lotus Advance Technologies Sdn Bhd, from Malaysia's DRB-HICOM in 2017; Etika Automotive took the other 49%. That split held for nine years.
The structure changed in 2026. Both shareholders had exercised put options requiring Nasdaq-listed Lotus Technology Inc, the Shanghai-based company holding Lotus's electric lifestyle vehicles, to buy them out: Geely's Hong Kong arm on 14 April 2025 and Etika on 30 June 2025. Lotus Technology completed the purchase of 100% of Lotus Advance Technologies on 21 August 2026, putting the sports car business, Lotus Engineering and the electric models under one company for the first time.
Geely's interest in Lotus is therefore now a shareholding in Lotus Technology rather than direct ownership of the British company. At 28 February 2026 a Geely subsidiary held 16.8% of Lotus Technology, a partnership deemed to belong to Li Shufu held 28.8%, and Etika held 24.1%. Shares issued for the August 2026 purchase will change those figures.
Lotus delivered 3,904 vehicles in the first half of 2026, up 39%, on revenue of US$268 million, helped by the Eletre X plug-in hybrid. It sells in around fifty markets, including the United States.
Since 21 August 2026 the whole brand sits under Nasdaq-listed Lotus Technology Inc, in which Geely companies and Li Shufu are the largest holders alongside Malaysia's Etika Automotive.
Key facts
| Chinese name | 路特斯 “LOO-tuh-suh” no literal meaning; a transliteration of 'Lotus' chosen for sound |
|---|---|
| Also written | Lotus Cars, Group Lotus and Lotus Technology |
| Owner | Geely Holding |
| Founded | 1948 |
| Headquarters | Hethel, Norfolk, United Kingdom |
| Origin | United Kingdom |
| First car | Lotus Mark I, 1948 |
| Vehicles | Cars |
| Segment | Luxury |
| United States | Sold in the United States — Lotus sells in the United States and showed the Emira at the New York International Auto Show in April 2026. Its US distribution runs through a head distributor arrangement with an existing regional distributor. |
| Official site | www.lotuscars.com |
| Ownership of the British company | 51% Geely International (Hong Kong) and 49% Etika Automotive from 2017 until 21 August 2026, when Lotus Technology Inc bought 100% |
| Lotus Technology shareholders at 28 February 2026 | Lotus Advanced Technology LP (deemed Li Shufu) 28.8%, Etika 24.1%, Lotus Technology International Investment (Geely) 16.8%, ATW 11.6% |
| First half 2026 deliveries | 3,904 vehicles, up 39% year on year |
| First half 2026 revenue | US$268 million, up 23%; gross margin 10% |
| Listing | Lotus Technology Inc trades on Nasdaq as LOT |
Who owns Lotus?
Li Shufu holds a stake in Lotus Technology Inc. at 28.8% since 22 February 2024.
Lotus Advanced Technology Limited Partnership held 186,648,945 ordinary shares, 28.8%, at 28 February 2026. Its partners act in concert with Ming Jun Holdings Limited, which Li Shufu wholly owns, so he may be deemed to own the whole holding.
Lotus Technology Inc. owns Lotus at 100% since 21 August 2026.
Lotus Technology Inc completed the purchase of 100% of Lotus Advance Technologies Sdn Bhd, which owns the Hethel sports car business and Lotus Engineering, on 21 August 2026, putting the whole Lotus brand under one company.
Former owners
Holdings that have ended. They are here because the story needs them and are never part of the current tree.
Geely Holding formerly held Lotus at 51% from 2017 until 21 August 2026.
Geely Holding's Hong Kong arm, Geely International (Hong Kong) Limited, held 51% of Lotus Advance Technologies Sdn Bhd, the Lotus parent, from the 2017 purchase from DRB-HICOM until 21 August 2026. It exercised a put option on 14 April 2025 requiring Nasdaq-listed Lotus Technology Inc to buy that 51%, and the purchase completed on 21 August 2026. Geely remains Lotus's ultimate controlling interest through Lotus Technology.
Etika Automotive Sdn Bhd formerly held Lotus at 49% from 2017 until 21 August 2026.
Etika Automotive Sdn Bhd bought 49% of Lotus Advance Technologies Sdn Bhd from DRB-HICOM in 2017 and held it until 21 August 2026. It exercised its put option on 30 June 2025 requiring Lotus Technology Inc to buy the stake, and remains a large shareholder in Lotus Technology.
Etika Automotive Sdn Bhd formerly held Lotus at 49% from 24 May 2017 until August 2026.
Etika Automotive of Malaysia held 49% of Group Lotus from May 2017 until Geely bought it out in August 2026. Etika's shareholding is why Lotus was, for nine years, part-Malaysian as well as part-Chinese.
| Holder | What it is | Share | Since | What the source says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geely Holding | controls | controls | 24 May 2017 | Geely bought 51% of Group Lotus on 24 May 2017, with Malaysia's Etika Automotive holding the other 49%, and in August 2026 acquired Etika's remaining stake and folded Lotus Cars into Lotus Technology. Lotus Technology, the electric-car arm headquartered in Wuhan, listed on Nasdaq in February 2024 with about 10.3% of its shares in public hands, so a small minority of the business is not Geely-held; the exact current percentage is not published here. |
The full ownership page for Lotus · Is Lotus Chinese?
Lotus models
| Model | Name in China | Body | Powertrain | Range | Price in China |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 路特斯 ELETREEletre | 路特斯 ELETRE (Lùtèsī ELETRE) | SUV | Offered with more than one powertrain | 600 km WLTP | not published |
| 路特斯 EMEYAEmeya | 路特斯 EMEYA (Lùtèsī EMEYA) | Saloon | Battery-electric | 610 km WLTP | not published |
| 路特斯 EMIRAEmira | 路特斯 EMIRA (Lùtèsī EMIRA) | Coupé | Petrol or diesel | not published | not published |
Where Lotus is sold
Recorded in 50 market s: United Arab Emirates, AR, AT, Australia, BE, BG, BH, Canada, CH, Chile, CN, CY, CZ, Germany, DK, EE, EG, Spain, FI, France, United Kingdom, GR, GT, HK, HU, IE, Israel, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, KW, LB, LU, Mexico, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, PA, Philippines, PR, QA, Sweden, SG, Thailand, Türkiye, TW, United States and South Africa. Where a company publishes only its principal markets, that is a floor and not a complete list.
| Country | Code | Market page |
|---|---|---|
| United Arab Emirates | AE | Chinese cars in the United Arab Emirates |
| Argentina | AR | no page yet |
| Austria | AT | no page yet |
| Australia | AU | Chinese cars in Australia |
| Belgium | BE | no page yet |
| Bulgaria | BG | no page yet |
| Bahrain | BH | no page yet |
| Canada | CA | Chinese cars in Canada |
| Switzerland | CH | no page yet |
| Chile | CL | Chinese cars in Chile |
| China | CN | no page yet |
| Cyprus | CY | no page yet |
| Czechia | CZ | no page yet |
| Germany | DE | Chinese cars in Germany |
| Denmark | DK | no page yet |
| Estonia | EE | no page yet |
| Egypt | EG | no page yet |
| Spain | ES | Chinese cars in Spain |
| Finland | FI | no page yet |
| France | FR | Chinese cars in France |
| United Kingdom | GB | Chinese cars in the United Kingdom |
| Greece | GR | no page yet |
| Guatemala | GT | no page yet |
| Hong Kong SAR China | HK | no page yet |
| Hungary | HU | no page yet |
| Ireland | IE | no page yet |
| Israel | IL | Chinese cars in Israel |
| India | IN | Chinese cars in India |
| Italy | IT | Chinese cars in Italy |
| Japan | JP | Chinese cars in Japan |
| South Korea | KR | Chinese cars in South Korea |
| Kuwait | KW | no page yet |
| Lebanon | LB | no page yet |
| Luxembourg | LU | no page yet |
| Mexico | MX | Chinese cars in Mexico |
| Malaysia | MY | Chinese cars in Malaysia |
| Netherlands | NL | Chinese cars in the Netherlands |
| Norway | NO | Chinese cars in Norway |
| New Zealand | NZ | Chinese cars in New Zealand |
| Panama | PA | no page yet |
| Philippines | PH | Chinese cars in the Philippines |
| Puerto Rico | PR | no page yet |
| Qatar | QA | no page yet |
| Sweden | SE | Chinese cars in Sweden |
| Singapore | SG | no page yet |
| Thailand | TH | Chinese cars in Thailand |
| Türkiye | TR | Chinese cars in Türkiye |
| Taiwan | TW | no page yet |
| United States | US | Chinese cars in the United States |
| South Africa | ZA | Chinese cars in South Africa |
Lotus: questions people ask
- Is Lotus still British?
- The cars and the engineering are: Lotus builds sports cars and runs Lotus Engineering at Hethel in Norfolk. The ownership is not. Geely has held the controlling interest since 2017, and since 21 August 2026 the whole brand sits under Nasdaq-listed Lotus Technology Inc, whose largest holders are Geely companies, Li Shufu and Malaysia's Etika Automotive.
- Who owns Lotus?
- Lotus Technology Inc has owned 100% of the Lotus parent company since 21 August 2026. Within Lotus Technology, a partnership attributed to Li Shufu held 28.8% and a Geely subsidiary 16.8% at the end of February 2026, with Etika Automotive at 24.1%.
- Did Geely buy Lotus from Malaysia?
- Yes. DRB-HICOM sold Lotus in 2017, with 51% going to Geely Holding and 49% to Etika Automotive, another Malaysian company. Lotus had been Malaysian-owned through Proton since the 1990s.
- Are Lotus cars sold in the United States?
- Yes. The US is one of about fifty Lotus markets, and Lotus showed the Emira at the New York International Auto Show in April 2026.
Related
Sources for Lotus
- Lotus Technology Inc (U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission), Lotus Technology Inc., Form 20-F for the year ended 31 December 2025. Read .
- Lotus Technology Inc (U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission), Lotus Tech Completed Acquisition of 100% Equity Interest of Lotus Advance Technologies. Read .
- Lotus Technology Inc (U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission), Lotus Technology Reports Unaudited Half Year 2026 Financial Results. Read .
- Lotus Cars, lotuscars.com robots.txt, market sitemap index. Read . Source of the market list; China added separately as Lotus runs a Chinese-market site.