► Electronics giant, Foxconn, gets into cars
► Model C, E and T announced
► Under 'Foxtron' branding
The electronics manufacturer and key supplier to the likes of Apple, Foxconn, has announced its entering the automotive industry. It's starting off with three electric vehicles: the Model C is an SUV, the Model E is a saloon and the Model T (no, not that one) is a bus. The new EVs were revealed during the 2021 Hon Hai Tech Day.
Foxconn is naming this new brand of EVs 'Foxtron' and has worked with countless partners including Taiwanese car maker Yulon and famous car design house, Pininfarina to develop these new EVs.
All three of these new electric cars can have up to 750hp. The Model C, which is shaped like a crossover with a similar footprint to Hyundai's Ioniq 5 EV, is a seven seater that's capable of a 3.8sec 0-62mph sprint time and a claimed range of around 430 miles.
The Model E saloon (below), meanwhile, has had its looks penned by Pininfarina. Foxconn claims a low drag co-efficient of 0.22Cd, and the Model E has neat details like LED displays below the rear lights to communicate what the car is doing. This model claims 0-62mph acceleration times as low as 2.8 seconds, with a claimed range of up to 466 miles.
These passenger cars are based on the Hon Hai Open Platform, which has been developed with help from a consortium of partners. Stellantis, for one, has openly entered a joint venture with Foxconn to develop new technologies for next-generation vehicles.
As for the Model T bus, it's undergone more than 124,000 miles of acceleration endurance testing and can hit speeds of 74mph, with a claimed range of around 248 miles.
The aim is to bring these cars to market in China first from 2023. As for the rest of the world? We're not sure yet. But, given Apple's investment and long relationship with Foxconn for assembling its devices, as well as the long-rumoured development of its own car, it's not beyond the realms of possibility to connect the dots; while none of this is confirmed, it would make sense for Apple to take advantage of the Hon Hai Open Platform to base its first car...