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Foxtron, Taiwan's First EV, Leaks After Arriving in the Country: How Come?

Hon Hai is more popularly known as Foxconn. On October 15, 2020, the smartphone manufacturer giant promised that it would create an electric modular car platform called MIH Open Platform to manufacture EVs for other companies – like it produces the iPhone for Apple. On March 29, 2021, the company revealed it would have its own vehicle brand: Foxtron. On September 15, images of Taiwan’s first electric vehicle leaked when it arrived in the country. Weird, right? But that’s easy to explain.
Foxtron Model C Shows Up Unexpectedly 7 photos
Photo: Public domain
Foxtron Model C Shows Up UnexpectedlyFoxtron Model C Shows Up UnexpectedlyFoxtron Model C Shows Up UnexpectedlyYoung Liu, Chairman of Foxconn, Beside the MIH Open platformFoxtron SUVFoxtron Bus
Although the Foxtron will be the first one produced in Taiwan, the very first one – concept or prototype? – was manufactured in Europe. According to Money.UDN.com, Hon Hai and its automotive partner, Yulon, commissioned it to “an international supercar design company.” If you happen to know which one and where, please do not forget to share that with us.

The fact that the first Taiwanese EV was made in Europe is probably a delightful irony, but it is not unusual. Most automakers hire guys like the Gaffoglio Family Metalcrafters to produce their prototypes and concepts while they concentrate on developing the production vehicles. That was most certainly the case for Hon Hai and Yulon. In other words, when the production vehicle is ready to roll, it will be produced in Taiwan.

The vehicle was apparently photographed at PTT, Thailand’s state-owned oil company. Hon Hai and PTT announced a deal to “promote electric vehicles” last July, but it was not clear if PTT would produce these vehicles, fund a company that would do that, or just create a joint venture with Foxconn to manufacture them. We have no idea if PTT has any facility in Taiwan.

If it has not, the car could have been photographed in Thailand, but why there? Would PTT have paid for the vehicle and then shipped it to Taiwan? Considering that’s where Money.UDN.com says the car now is, parked in Yulon’s new factory, that is a strong possibility. Chinese readers may be able to clarify that and make fun of the Google Translate text we had to cope with.

The electric vehicle in the pictures does not look like the scale model that introduced us to the new brand back in March. While that model seemed to be a crossover, the first Foxtron that must really drive appears to be a liftback, like the Tesla Model S, even if seemingly smaller.

It would be really nice if the vehicle was of the working kind and used Hon Hai’s MIH Open Platform. Should the company allow automotive journalists to drive it, they could get a glimpse of what the new architecture can offer compared to the EVs already in the market. However, it is improbable that anyone apart from engineers will get to drive what is undoubtedly a multi-million-dollar machine.

After the images were published, Hon Hai said it was a pity that the car appeared before it should and that the company would reveal three electric car prototypes in October, among them the “Model C.” Perhaps that’s how we should call the new EV from now on. Foxtron Model C. We’ll learn more about that in about a month from now.
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About the author: Gustavo Henrique Ruffo
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Motoring writer since 1998, Gustavo wants to write relevant stories about cars and their shift to a sustainable future.
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