Sharp’s EV van will be based on the same platform as the Model C. The division of labor will see Hon Hai provide the hardware that will form the basis of the EV, while Sharp will be responsible for the design and development of the interior space and functions. Hon Hai is developing electric vehicles because it believes it can significantly expand its business in the future, focusing on contract production of electric vehicles. Electric vehicle sales growth is slowing around the world, but this will change as batteries become cheaper and charging times shorten, explained Hon Hai’s Seki, who gave the keynote speech at the event.
“We are developing solid-state and semi-solid-state batteries, and we believe the charging time to 90 percent will be about five minutes,” Seki said. “I can’t say for sure it will be 2027 or 2028, but I think it will happen pretty soon.”
Hon Hai is constantly working to create the ecosystem that will be necessary when the shift to electric vehicles becomes widespread in the coming years. According to Seki, Hon Hai has established a system that covers everything from the supply of electric vehicle parts, modules and platforms to contract manufacturing, and is also expanding into the home battery and charging system business.
Convert electric vehicles into smartphones
Furthermore, Hon Hai is leading the MIH Consortiumthe world’s largest open platform for the development of electric vehicles. The group’s goal is to facilitate the development of electric vehicles by formulating standards for the parts and software needed for the development and mass production of electric vehicles, and by having participating companies supply them. There are already more than 2,700 participating companies, including many Japanese companies and Japan-affiliated companies, making it a hidden powerhouse in the automotive industry.
Strengthening this system will lead to Hon Hai not only accepting contract manufacturing of electric vehicles, but also taking charge of the entire business from the design and development stage onwards. In other words, the company is trying to take the formula that made it so successful in the smartphone field and apply it to electric vehicles.
When Foxconn’s efforts get underway, electric vehicles will have the potential to become truly “smartphone-like” and the automotive industry will reach a major inflection point. The joint development of electric vehicles with Sharp will surely be proof of this.
This story was originally published by Japan wired.
