- Olga Kokorina
- Translated by Olga Apetenok
- Ru Fr Ar He
Foxtron. Potential ‘Tesla killer’ from Taiwan
Foxtron is an automobile manufacturer that builds electric vehicles. It is a joint brand of two powerful companies in Taiwan. It was founded in 2020 by the world’s largest electronics manufacturer and supplier to Apple, HonHai, better known as Foxconn, and car manufacturer Yulon Motor, which has its own car brand Luxgen since 2007. Moreover, Foxtron already has up to 5 models, which are called according to the following formula: Model plus a letter of the Latin alphabet. Does this remind you of anything? However, if you decide that this is another potential Tesla killer from Taiwan, that’s not yet true.
The fact is that Foxtron is an unusual brand: none of its electric vehicles are intended for sale to end consumers. These are samples intended to demonstrate the company’s capabilities to potential customers of major brands, who can use them to order the production of vehicles under their own brands. The company intends to repeat the path it has already taken with Apple: assembling electric vehicles for customers, starting with the chassis, so that they resell them as its own models.
Origins
It all started in 2020, when Foxconn introduced its own modular MIH (Mobility in Harmony) platform. To achieve such a miracle of technology, the Foxtron electric vehicle brand was created, under the auspices of which Foxconn IT specialists began to work with Yulon Motor. Why with them? Because this Taiwanese car manufacturer already has many years of experience in the licensed assembly of cars of major brands: since the 1960s, Yulon Motor has produced Chrysler, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Mercedes-Benz cars. In addition, the company has its own automotive brand, Luxgen, the models of which were even exported to some countries.
In October 2021, Foxtron already showed its first three electric vehicles. And they are all of different types: the Model C SUV, the Model T bus and the flagship model, the Model E sedan, designed by the famous Italian studio Pininfarina. By the way, the bus is already produced in small batches. A year later, in October 2022, the automaker introduced two more new products: the Model B 5-door hatchback (the company positions it as an urban SUV) and the Model V pickup. Both are not the finished products, but the samples to demonstrate the cars in general terms.
Model range
Foxtron Model В
This electric city car is destined to go global: China, Europe and the United States should be the main sales markets. The Foxtron Model B is equipped with a 230 hp electric motor, with a driving range of 450 km and an ability to accelerate to 100 km/h in 6.6 seconds. The length of the electric city car is 4,300 mm, the width is 1,865 mm, the height is 1,530 mm, and the wheelbase is 2,800 mm. The drag coefficient is 0.26. Aerodynamics is improved by retractable door handles and cameras instead of mirrors. All lighting equipment, including the rear, is diode and matrix. The rear lights act as a battery level indicator and can display different icons to inform pedestrians and drivers behind. An extensive set of electronic assistants has also been announced. Serial production is expected to begin in 2023.
Foxtron Model C
The Foxtron Model C SUV has already acquired its final form, that is to say marketable appearance: in Taiwan, it is sold as Luxgen n7. Contrary to its concept, the vehicle features less aggressive contours, door handles and more ordinary lighting equipment. The interior is distinguished by an original solution: the dashboard, as well as the ventilation deflectors, are hidden in a kind of box (like that of the Model B), and the touch screen of the multimedia system is huge. The powertrain consists of a pair of electric motors, together producing 460 hp, with a driving range of 700 km. The manufacturer proudly announces that the SUV accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds. The opening of sales under the Luxgen brand is scheduled for early 2023 and has already brought more than 15,000 applications to the manufacturer in two days.
Foxtron Model T
The Model T electric bus is already in service on out-of-town routes in Taiwan. It is reported that the maximum speed of the newcomer will be at least 99 km/h. The length of the body, made in the form of a parallelepiped, is 12 meters and it is capable of carrying 50 people. The battery capacity allows the electric bus to travel up to 300 km on a single charge.
Foxtron Model V
Released in 2022, the Model V features parent brand Foxconn logos on the body. In terms of dimensions, the pickup is mid-size, but the wheelbase reaches 3,220 mm. The vehicle was developed independently, without the involvement of third-party specialists. Like the other models, the pickup has cameras instead of mirrors, and its door handles are hidden. It is planned to be released in Taiwan, Thailand and the United States.
Foxtron Model E
It is known that the exterior of the top-end Model E flagship sedan was created in collaboration with the Italian company Pininfarina, which created a large number of beautiful bodies. The engine power is 750 hp. The car accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 2.8 seconds, providing a driving range of 750 km.
