Hon Hai, Poland firm evaluate potential EV production, R&D hub

Taipei, May 9 (CNA) Taiwan-based manufacturing giant Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. has teamed up with a state-owned automotive developer in Poland, to consider the possibility of establishing an electric vehicle production and R&D center in the European country.

In a statement released Thursday, AI server maker and iPhone assembler Hon Hai, also known globally as Foxconn, said the company has established a strategic partnership with ElectroMobility Poland S.A. (EMP) with the aim of raising the technological and operational capabilities of the EV ecosystem in Poland and the broader region.

Under the partnership, Hon Hai's EV development subsidiary Foxtron Vehicle Technologies and EMP are exploring the potential of setting up a production and R&D center in Poland.

Business Insider, a Polish news outlet, reported recently that EMP and Hon Hai are likely to open an EV hub in Jaworzno, southern Poland.

The report said EMP had discussed cooperation with China's Geely Automobile and Chery Automobile but the talks failed to yield any results amid concerns that Chinese partners could be hesitant to transfer key technologies. As a result, EMP turned to Hon Hai, the report added.

In the Hon Hai statement, chief strategy officer for EV operations Jun Seki said the company is committed to accelerating electric mobility through open platforms, scalable manufacturing, and deep technological collaborations.

"We are excited to support EMP by sharing our EV platforms, vehicle development expertise and engineering capabilities to build an AI‑enabled manufacturing facility," Seki said.

"Together, with Foxtron, we will foster local R&D and strengthen supplier networks to effectively serve the European market," Seki added.

EMP CEO Cyprian Gronkiewicz praised Hon Hai for its expertise in next-generation mobility, saying success increasingly depends not only on traditional automotive capabilities, but also on digital solutions and supply chain efficiency.

"In the era of connected vehicles, data management and cybersecurity are becoming critical differentiators. The partner's track record in delivering and scaling complex industrial and technology projects significantly reduces execution risk in a venture of this scale and complexity," Gronkiewicz said.

Hon Hai said the discussions, undertaken with Poland's Ministry of State Assets, and other institutions involved in the project, covered the scope of cooperation, paving the path to a detailed agreement package.

In recent years, Hon Hai has aggressively diversified its business under its "3 plus 3" strategy to expand into integrated hardware and software.

The initiative covers three emerging industries -- EVs, robots, and digital health care -- which the company said it is developing via AI, semiconductor and communications technologies.