Foxconn is bringing its in-house designed Model C electric sport utility vehicle to North America this year, marking the Taiwanese electronics giant’s latest push to diversify beyond smartphone assembly.
The Model C, already selling in Taiwan, will feature different specifications for North American consumers, including expanded S-duct design and a North American Charging Standard. The company didn’t name which automaker would sell the vehicle.
“2025 will be a year of strong growth for Foxconn,” said Wu Junyi, the company’s deputy general manager and PR head, during an automotive expo in Taipei. “The driving force will be artificial intelligence-related products, and we also have high hopes for the EV business.”
While Foxconn unveiled a North American variant of the Model C last October at its annual Tech Day, the company now indicates mass production won’t begin until late 2025 – a timeline shift that highlights the challenges contract manufacturers face entering the automotive sector.
The EV newcomer has been snapping up links in the automotive supply chain while facing headwinds from its failed partnerships with Lordstown Motors and Fisker, both of which filed for bankruptcy protection after collaborating with Foxconn.
The company acquired an EV plant in Ohio from a local startup, but questions remain about production capacity amid rising US-China trade tensions. Wu acknowledged that “local production and consumption of EVs will be necessary” in response to questions about former President Trump’s tariff policies.
Foxconn is also negotiating to supply EVs to Mitsubishi Motors for the Oceania market next year, with its Model B crossover EV expected to launch first for a major Taiwanese automaker.
