A new building has emerged amidst the high-rise apartment forest of Ilsan, capturing attention: the Lotus Ilsan Service Center. I visited this place on the 3rd.
Located in Deogi-ro, Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang City, the Lotus Service Center spans a total floor area of 1,322.31m² (land area of 1,670m²). At the entrance, the new CI featuring the LOTUS logo grabs attention. This new CI has been applied in Korea as the third instance worldwide, following the UK and France, symbolizing the status of the Korean market.
Immediately upon entering, something catches the eye: a glass parking tower. It can accommodate up to 12 cars. Eleven vibrant Emiras greeted the journalist from within the parking tower.
To the right of the entrance stands a two-story prefabricated building, which serves as the customer waiting area. The glass-walled second-floor lounge allows customers to sit on comfortable sofas while overlooking the workshop in front, enabling them to check on the servicing of their beloved vehicles in real-time. The sofas are generously spaced apart, and Life Collection products are on display.
Below the piloti-style waiting area, there are two 200KW ultra-fast chargers. Two Electra vehicles are parked in front of the chargers. Branch manager Han Sang-min explained, “The fast chargers inside the service center are exclusively for Lotus customers and do not incur a charging fee.”
Across from this area is the workshop, equipped with a total of four lifts. The two lifts on the left are dedicated to the Emira, capable of lifting weights up to 3.5 tons, while the two on the right can lift weights of up to 5.5 tons, easily raising the nearly 3-ton Electra.
Branch manager Han mentioned, “Starting today, Emiras will be delivered, and from the end of the year, we will begin welcoming service customers.” He added, “As the number of service customers increases, we are considering the installation of additional lifts.”
During my visit, I encountered the Lotus service car. The Lotus service car is an emergency vehicle that goes out to perform routine maintenance for customers who cannot come to the busy service center. Currently, the first vehicle has been introduced, and the branch manager hinted at future additions.
Directly visible from the entrance is the area where bodywork and painting take place. The Emira is receiving polishing work before being delivered to customers. The branch manager explained, “Before delivery to customers, the vehicle undergoes polishing, and since the Emira is handcrafted, there may be gaps in the bumpers. We correct any gaps before handing over the vehicle.”
Next to the gleaming black Emira undergoing polishing, there is a painting and sanding workshop. Up to 60 damaged cars due to accidents can be repaired in terms of painting and sanding work per month.
On the second floor, there is a video conference room, primarily used for meetings with the British headquarters. The branch manager revealed, “On some days, we hold up to three video conferences.” This highlights that the headquarters is paying significant attention to the Korean market.
Although components have yet to arrive in the parts warehouse, the branch manager explained, “It can accommodate up to 15,000 different types of parts.”
Diverse events are also being planned at the center. There are plans for small events for domestic Lotus classic car customers and test drives around Deogi-ro with Emiras and Electras. The branch manager emphasized, “Today marks the first delivery for some customers of the V6 model, and the first service customer will visit once they reach 1,000km. We aim to create a service center that significantly enhances customer convenience in the future.”
Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr