Ford, Rivian, and Tesla are about to get some electric ute competition from an unlikely challenger.
Foxconn, the company best known for manufacturing the iPhone and Xbox, has teased an EV ute ahead of its launch under the rapidly-growing Foxtron automotive brand.
Under the skin, the Model V will likely ride on the MiH platform debuted in 2021 by Foxtron, which is a tie-up between Foxconn and Taiwan’s biggest carmaker, Yulon.
Like the Model B hatchback teased last week, it’s likely the V will be revealed on October 18 at the Hon Hai Tech Day – essentially Foxconn’s flagship brand day, where it lays out plans for the year to come.
Details about the Model V are thin on the ground, beyond the promise it’ll be “Taiwan’s first self-designed and developed multi-functional electric pickup truck”.
We know, however, the architecture underpinning it can have a wheelbase between 2750mm and 3100mm, and supports a variety of track and ride heights, making it suitable for sedans, hatches, crossovers, and people movers.
A Ford Ranger has a wheelbase of 3270mm, although the older Mitsubishi Triton rides on a wheelbase just 3000mm long.
Battery packs with 93kWh, 100kWh and 116kWh can be installed. Based on the teaser video, the platform also supports a full suite of active driver assists.
A variety of electric motors can be employed at both ends, with the initial offering consisting of 95kW, 150kW and 200kW front motors, and 150kW, 200kW, 240kW and 340kW units for the rear axle.
Likening the Tesla range to the “iPhone of EV”, Foxtron wants its EV platform to be the “Android of EV”.
Foxconn is based in Taiwan, which will serve as the initial manufacturing base for Foxtron. It’ll be building up to 500,000 cars per year in the USA by 2024, however, at an ex-General Motors plant in Lordstown, Ohio.
All 500,000 cars won’t be Foxtron electric vehicles, however; Foxconn has already been locked in as the producer of the upcoming Fisker Pear (below), and has confirmed it’s willing to manufacture vehicles under contract for other carmakers.
Scheduled to begin production in 2024, Fisker says it expects to build a minimum of 250,000 examples of the Pear annually once production ramps up.
