LOTUS TECHNOLOGY INC.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
(iii)
Accounts payable — related parties, accrued expenses and other current liabilities — related parties and other non-current liabilities — related parties are arising from transactions related to purchase of products and services, purchase of equipment and software, and payments by related parties on behalf of the Group as follows.
a.
The Group purchased sports cars, BEV lifestyle models, auto parts, peripheral products, commercial services relating to sales of sports cars and BEV lifestyle models and other consulting services from related parties. During the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, these purchases amounted to US$852,623, US$44,347 and US$14,259, among which, US$549,893, US$839 and US$ 331 were recognized as cost of goods sold for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, purchases including sports cars, BEVs lifestyle models, auto parts and peripheral products of US$248,331 and US$21,880 were recorded as inventories, respectively.
As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the amounts due to related parties for purchase of office materials, commercial services relating to sales of sports cars and BEV lifestyle models and other consulting services of US$27,660 and US$8,684 were included in accrued expenses and other current liabilities — related parties, respectively.
As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the amounts due to related parties for purchase of sports cars, BEV lifestyle models, auto parts and peripheral products of US$340,419 and US$5,770 was included in accounts payable-related parties, respectively.
b.
The Group purchased products and services from related parties for R&D activities. The Group recoded R&D expenses of US$134,721, US$167,012 and US$47,442 during the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the amounts due to related partis for purchase of products and services for R&D activities of US$217,256 and US$162,942 were included in accrued expenses and other current liabilities — related parties, respectively.
c.
The Group purchased equipment and software of US$11,223, US$42,798 and US$6,255 from related parties for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the amounts due to related parties for purchase of equipment and software of US$19,786 and US$8,366 were included in accrued expenses and other current liabilities — related parties, respectively.
d.
Related parties paid US$14,514 and US$2,952 on behalf of the Group in association with travelling expenses, staff salary and social welfare, and other miscellaneous expenses, of which US$1,605 and US$2,952 were included in accrued expenses and other current liabilities — related parties as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
e.
The Group entered into short-term lease agreements with related parties to rent office spaces. During the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, the Group incurred short-term lease costs of US$765, US$347 and US$ 243, respectively. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, payables for short-term leases of US$323 and US$272, respectively, were included in accrued expenses and other current liabilities — related parties, respectively.
f.
The Group received deposits of US$251, US$1,584 and nil from related parties for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, US$168 and nil were included in accrued expenses and other current liabilities — related parties, and US$1,634 and US$1,584 was included in other non-current liabilities-related parties, respectively.
g.
On January 31, 2023, the Group entered into a distribution agreement with LCL, a wholly owned subsidiary of LGIL and ultimately controlled by the Controlling Shareholder of the Company, pursuant to which the Group was appointed as the exclusive global distributor to distribute certain models of vehicles and to provide after-sale services and brand, marketing and public relations for such vehicles distributed by it since January 31, 2023, for a cash consideration of GBP18,055 (equivalent to US$22,296). As of December 31, 2023, payable for the distribution right of US$23,047 was included in accrued expenses and other current liabilities — related parties.
(iv)
In 2019, the Company’s subsidiary, Lotus Tech UK, borrowed a one-year unsecured loan from a related party with the principal amount of US$10,211,bearing an interest rate of 2% per annum, which was renewed to be mature on August 31, 2022. The borrowing was repaid in August 2022. During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Group incurred interest expenses of US$90 and US$220, respectively.
(v)
The Group entered into lease agreements with related parties to rent office spaces and parking spaces. During the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, the Group recognized right-of-use assets of US$12,166, US$214 and US$1,333 from related parties, respectively. The Group paid lease liabilities of US$269, US$98 and US$545 during the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, current operating lease liabilities were US$840 and US$13, respectively, and non-current operating lease liabilities were US$12,064 and US$170, respectively.
(vi)
On March 12, 2021, the Group entered into a license agreement with Zhejiang Liankong, a subsidiary of Geely Holding. Under the terms of the agreement, the Group received a non-exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable and non-sublicensable license for the electric automotive chassis and autonomous driving technology platform (the “Geely License”) with consideration of US$288,948.
The Geely License is contractually restricted to be used in certain R&D projects of the Group. The Group concludes that the Geely License has no alternative future use, therefore the cost of the license has been expensed as research and development expenses in the consolidated and combined statement of comprehensive loss for the year ended December 31, 2021.
(vii)
In November 2021, the Group obtained the trademark licenses (Note 7), from Group Lotus Limited, a related party controlled by Geely Holding, by issuing the Company’s 47,995,443 ordinary shares to LGIL, a related party controlled by Geely Holding.