iPhone Maker Reveals Plan to Sell EVs in the U.S.
Taiwanese electronics giant Hon Hai, better known as Foxconn and the maker of the iPhone and Nintendo gaming systems, wants a bigger piece of the automotive pie and plans to launch a half-dozen electric models including light-duty vehicles and buses. At least two of them are aimed at the U.S. market.
The announcement was made during a presentation in Tokyo on Wednesday, according to a report from Automotive News.
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The company, whose name has surfaced in recent stories about possible tie-ups with Nissan, Honda and Mitsubishi, said that its vehicles will initially be assembled in Taiwan and shipped worldwide. Eventually, however, those destined for the U.S. will be built there to meet customer needs.
Foxconn, which uses a Tesla-like nomenclature, touted the Model A (compact van), Model B (compact SUV), Model C (midsize SUV), Model D (minivan), Model E (sporty midsize sedan), Model T (large bus) and Model U (minibus).
Part of its global plan is to export the Model C to the U.S. for a trial run beginning this fall. The vehicle initially entered production in December 2023 and is sold in Taiwan under the name Luxgen N7. It is available in single-motor, rear-wheel-drive (172 kW/231 hp) and twin-motor, all-wheel-drive (344 kW/461 hp) variants. What’s more, 58kWh and 83kWh batteries are available, with the latter offering a range of almost 700 km according to the NEDC standard, which is more optimistic than our own North American standards.
The Model D is due to follow in 2027. This is a vehicle with an extended wheelbase and air suspension.
According to current reports, Foxconn is still interested in teaming up with the aforementioned Japanese automakers. One of its top executives, Jun Seki, was once Chief Operating Officer at Nissan.
