The ‘reference designs’ are not models that will go into series production in precisely this form. Foxconn – or the Foxconn subsidiary Foxtron Vehicle Technologies, responsible for the new reference designs – wants to show what is possible with its own platform. Car manufacturers can then approach Foxconn and customise their model based on such a reference design. The modular platform makes it possible to flexibly combine hardware modules and provides the basis for modern electric cars with the software-defined E/E architecture.
The Model D is a luxury electric van, for example, in the style of a Zeekr 009 or Volvo EM90. Foxconn speaks of a “Lifestyle Multipurpose Utility Vehicle” (LMUV) intended to combine the “advantages found in SUV and MPV segments.” The reference vehicle is 5.20 meters long with a wheelbase of 3.20 meters. It should enable a spacious and comfortable interior. With a special air suspension, the ride comfort should also be correspondingly high. The body, designed in collaboration with Pininfarina, has a drag coefficient of 0.23 – quite remarkable for such a bulky van.
The second new product is called the Model U and is a medium-sized electric bus – Foxconn has already shown a fully-fledged solo bus in the form of the Model T. The Model U essentially has the same design language, but according to the company, its more compact dimensions have been “specially designed for narrow urban lanes and remote areas.” The interior can be configured as required. However, Foxconn does not provide any information on the technical data of the drive.
Foxconn also presented the first variant of the Model C for automotive OEM customers interested in the North American market. The Model C is the reference for a family SUV, which has been available since 2021. In Taiwan, the Luxgen brand has launched the ‘n7’ based on the Model C, which, according to Foxconn, has “become one of the best-selling passenger EVs in the Taiwan market .” The North American adaptation is said to retain the “simple and fashionable new-generation family style” but features new styling, a different steering wheel and a new design for the operating systems.
The original ‘Asia version’ of the Model C was unveiled in October 2022 – along with a hatchback model called the Model B and an electric pickup called the Model V. All vehicles are based on the company’s MIH platform.
honhai.com