Hon Hai to unveil new EV model on its October 'Tech Day'

Taipei, Sept. 24 (CNA) Taiwan-based manufacturing giant Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. published a Facebook post late Monday night saying it will introduce its new electric vehicle model -- Model D -- on its annual "Tech Day" in October.

"At Foxconn, innovation moves fast -- get set for a game-changing EV MODEL D reveal at HHTD24 on October 8-9," Hon Hai said in its Facebook post.

According to Hon Hai, also known as Foxconn, the Model D was designed in collaboration with the "legendary" Pininfarina, an Italian car designer.

Hon Hai has so far launched six EV model prototypes: The sport utility vehicle Model C, the sedan Model E and the Model T e-bus in 2021, the urban car Model B and the pick-up Model V in 2022, and the Model N electric cargo van prototype in 2023.

Of the six models, the SUV Model C is the first rolled out based on research from the "MIH Open Platform" and production is on the rise.

Hon Hai has led the Mobility in Harmony (MIH) Consortium, an EV open platform at the center of its aims to become the "Android of the electric vehicle industry."

The MIH consortium EV open platform became operational in July 2021 as part of Hon Hai's efforts to enter the EV market.

Foxtron Inc., a joint venture between Hon Hai and Taiwanese car maker Yulon Group, is now producing n7 EVs under the Luxgen brand -- a Yulon subsidiary -- based on Model C.

In the first eight months of this year, Luxgen delivered 5,115 n7s. Fourth quarter monthly delivery is expected to be in the range of 1,000-1,200 units.

Hon Hai said its Model E targets upscale customers and has planned mass production. The target market for the Model B is the younger generation, including markets in Southeast Asia and Europe, and it is slated to enter mass production in the fourth quarter of this year.

Model T e-buses have also hit the streets in major cities around Taiwan.

Hon Hai said the upcoming Tech Day, which will be open to the public on Oct. 9, will reveal new smart EV innovations, particularly the integration of AI into its three smart platforms: Smart Manufacturing, Smart EV and Smart City.

In recent years, iPhone assembler Hon Hai has intensified its efforts in EV development as part of its "3 plus 3" strategy to diversify from contract manufacturing into hardware and software capabilities.

The initiative refers to three emerging industries -- electric vehicles, robots, and digital health care -- the company is developing via artificial intelligence, semiconductor, and communications technologies with EVs as the core business, according to Hon Hai.