When Phonemaker... The development of electric-powered vehicle industries that is currently booming is not only carried out by automotive companies, but by other parties or companies who had nothing to do with the automotive industry previously. This is also done by a Taiwanese manufacturing company named HonHai Precision Industry Co., Ltd. through its brand, Foxconn, which has been known for assembling various well-known American telecommunications products such the Apple iPhone.
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| Foxtron Debuts Three New EV Prototypes at Hon Hai Tech Day 2021. (Picture from: Tekno-Kompas) |
Those three EV prototypes consist of two passenger cars (such the SUV and sedan), and a bus. Those three were given almost similar names to the Tesla's electric cars, namely the Foxtron Model C for the SUV, the Foxtron Model E for the luxury sedan, and the Foxtron Model T for the electric bus. Let's take a look one by one;
1. Foxtron Model C
The Foxtron Model C is the first model to be built on the HonHai's electric vehicle platform and is positioned as an optimized fully electric powered SUV. The EV design isn't only has a minimalist look, but also significantly minimizes the mechanical components space used, while maximizing seating space for the driver and passengers.
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| The Foxtron Model C is the first model to be built on the HonHai's electric vehicle platform and is positioned as an optimized fully electric powered SUV. (Picture from: MotorTrend) |
Dimensionally, this Model C electric car measures 4.64 meters in length with a wheelbase of 2.86 meters, and offers comfortable seating for 5-2 people and plenty of storage space, making it easy to navigate into the urban areas crowded while still enjoying yourself inside the spacious luxury car.
As for the technical specifications, the Taiwanese company claims that the Model C can accelerate from rest to 100 kph in just 3.8 seconds and can drive up to 700 km on a single charge. Later, the Foxtron Model C will be marketed under the Yulon brands and to be ready for sale in 2023.
2. Foxtron Model E
In the development of the Foxtron Model E, the Taiwanese company collaborated with a well-known Italian coachbuilder company Pininfarina. It was further stated that the Foxtron Model E was designed as a luxury vehicle, with strong and bold lines, as well as elegant lighting characteristics with innovative technology that can meet the needs of middle and upper class consumers, especially business people.
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| The Foxtron Model E was designed as a luxury vehicle, with strong and bold lines, as well as elegant lighting characteristics with innovative technology that can meet the needs of middle and upper class consumers. (Picture from: MotorTrend) |
This can be seen in the figure of an electric car that has a striking exterior design with a "smart surface" on the front and rear fascia, as well as the doors. On the inside, an elegant wrap-around design extends from the front door, through the pillars, to the rear door. While inside the cabin, its back seat space can transform into an integrated office with personal mobile devices seamlessly connecting to passenger cars, enabling a range of smart applications such as facial recognition door opening as you approach. In addition, this car is also equipped with advanced features that allow it to interact with its surroundings.
The Italian coachbuilder company further mentioned that the Foxtron Model E is driven by a series of electric motors capable of producing around 750 horsepower (559 kilowatts), and can accelerate from rest to 62 mph (100 kph) in 2.8 seconds, and offers a range of about 750 km (435 miles) on a single battery charge.
3. Foxtron Model T
The next electric vehicle is the Foxtron Model T which is projected as a smart urban transportation solution that has a rigid and high body design and protection that meets the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) regulations and standards. This Taiwanese company claims that their electric bus has a range of up to 400 kilometers per single charge, and is capable of traveling up to a maximum speed of up to 120 kph.
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| The Foxtron Model T is a electric-powered bus and projected as a smart urban transportation solution that has a rigid and high body design and protection that meets the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) regulations and standards. (Picture from: MotorTrend) |
To date, the Foxtron Model T has completed an acceleration endurance test of 200,000 km and more than 1,000 hours of rigid strength testing at the Automotive Research & Testing Center (ARTC), a Taiwanese government funded non-profit automotive research facility located in Lukang. The testing is intended to ensure the safety of drivers and passengers. This is not surprising because from the outset this electric bus was projected to be sold first in Taiwan, which is said to be used as a local transportation service in Southern Taiwan.
Chairman of HonHai, Young Liu, said that the company targets annual revenue from the electric vehicle sector to reach 1 trillion Taiwan dollars or equivalent to US $35 billion (Rp. 501 trillion) by 2026. It is not known exactly when this Foxtron-branded electric vehicle will be mass-produced. What is clear, Foxconn has been actively making deals to smooth the company's steps into the EV industry.
For example, Foxconn bought the Ohio-based factory Lordstown Motor's for US $230 million. While in August, the company also bought a chip factory somewhere in Taiwan in an effort to maintain a steady supply of automobile semiconductor chips. Reportedly also that the Taiwanese company will be partnered with the other EV maker Fisker in electric vehicles producing by 2023.Although many details were lacked on the car's features, what the Taiwanese company has shown so far looks impressive. The Foxtron Model E and two other electric vehicles are scheduled to go on sale sometime in 2023. As quoted from Id.Motor1, which believes that one or even all three will not be shipped to overseas markets, they will most likely be made exclusively from Taiwan. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | HONHAI | VOA | ID.MOTOR1 | MOTORTREND ]
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