Dublin-based financial services and payments provider Stripe has announced that it has become the official online payments and identification partner for Lotus.
Direct-sales model
The British brand better known for its lightweight sports cars is on the cusp of launching its first SUV - the Eletre - and it's moving to a direct-sales agency model as it does so. This means Lotus will sell its cars directly to buyers, online, and dealerships will be paid a fee to manage delivery and aftersales.
Stripe will be a crucial part of that process, providing Lotus with the ability to accept online payments from credit cards, bank transfers, Apple Pay and Google Pay. Stripe will also be providing the famous firm with its Stripe Identity software, which helps to ensure that someone making a payment is who they claim to be.
Stripe Payments and Stripe Identity
According to the carmaker: "Lotus is using Stripe payments and Stripe Identity to make it possible for consumers to configure, order and pay for the Lotus Eletre directly and in full online, while also choosing their preferred agency from the Lotus network to facilitate the handover. These Lotus Centres will also provide service and aftersales support throughout the ownership lifecycle."
Lotus also said that it had trialled the use of online payments and direct sales when it launched its last petrol-only model, the Emira, last year and found that it attracted "considerable interest". The sports car maker has said that with the launch of the Eletre, it expects its online sales and payments to expand "exponentially".
Exponential expansion
Exponential expansion is quite possibly what will happen with the Lotus model range in the coming years. Owned since 2017 by the Chinese car-making giant, Geely, Lotus will in the coming years add to the Eletre and Emira with a new four-door electric saloon, to give it a rival to the Porsche Taycan. The incredible 2,000hp Evija electric hypercar should be reaching its first owners this year too, and after that there will be a battery-powered successor to the light and agile Elise.
"The Eletre is Lotus' first mainstream electric vehicle - and our first SUV. No other car brand has a comparable product in the market and that makes us pioneers," said Mike Johnstone, Chief Commercial Office of Lotus. "Customers expect a flawless experience, not just from the car itself, but from the whole purchase journey. We're pleased to partner with Stripe as its products become an important part of that journey to help us to build trust with our global customer base."
"Lotus is a truly iconic British brand that is updating its business model to meet changing consumer preferences. We're incredibly excited to help Lotus build a new way of selling to its customers - starting with its first ever mainstream electric vehicle." said Eileen O'Mara, Head of Global Sales at Stripe.
The Irish Lotus Centre has just recently opened - it's operated by the Joe Duffy Group and it's in Airside Retail Park, just next to Dublin Airport.