Foxconn, Maker of iPhones, Reveals EV Hatchback Is Coming

• Foxconn, a Taiwanese electronics firm that is one of the main manufacturers of Apple iPhones, is planning to enter the automotive space with the Foxtron Model B.

• A full reveal of the Model B is coming on October 18, but Foxconn has already given a good look at the hatchback’s Pininfarina-penned exterior design.

• Initial production of the Model B will take place in China next year, but the company says that the hatchback will be built at Foxconn’s Lordstown, Ohio assembly plant starting in 2024.

UPDATE 10/28/22: A Foxconn representative told Car and Driver that although the electronics company has said it will build several electric vehicles at its Lordstown, Ohio plant, it has not publicly said where the Model B will be produced. However, Foxconn did not explicitly rule out production in the United States in its statement.

You might not be familiar with the name Foxconn, but you certainly know its biggest product: the Taiwanese electronics company is one of the leading iPhone manufacturers. The firm is also looking to expand into the automotive space. In 2021, Foxconn purchased the Lordstown assembly plant in Ohio from struggling EV startup Lordstown Motors. Now Foxconn has given the first look at a new electric hatchback, the Foxtron Model B, that it plans to eventually build in the United States.

Foxconn has provided minimal information so far about the Model B, with the EV set to be fully unveiled on October 18. You may have noticed that the brand name associated with the Model B is not Foxconn, but Foxtron—this vehicle is part of a joint venture between the electronics maker and Yulon Motor, Taiwan’s largest automaker which has built Nissans under license for decades and also created its own brand, Luxgen.

While Foxconn is tight-lipped about specifications, the video does show off the Model B’s design, which was penned by Italian design house Pininfarina. The compact car has its large, flashy wheels pushed out the corners, while the front and rear ends are dominated by full-width LED light bars. The smooth bodywork is accentuated by a stylized C-pillar, and a unique feature in the taillights appears to display images to communicate with pedestrians.

The Model B will ride on Foxconn’s open-source MiH platform—which stands for Mobility in Harmony. The platform will also underpin two additional models previously revealed by Foxconn, the Model C, a larger crossover, and Model E, a luxury sedan. The platform supports single and dual-motor setups, and Foxconn claims a range of 435 miles from the Model C and 466 miles for the Model E.