Foxconn inaugurates R&D centre for electric vehicles in China
Details about the new facility are currently limited, but news agency Reuters references a statement from the local government of Henan province, where Zhengzhou is located. According to this statement, the site will focus on next-generation electric vehicles, electric architectures, and intelligent driving technologies, as confirmed by the provincial government in its WeChat announcement. The statement cites Li Guangyao, Managing Director of a Foxconn subsidiary in Henan.
The facility is likely the same one on which started construction began in July 2024. At the time, it was described as a pilot manufacturing centre for electric vehicles, intended to supply “well-known domestic and international automotive brands”. In other words, the Zhengzhou site is designed to advance Foxconn’s ambition to become a key contract manufacturer for electric vehicles, mirroring the production model it has long used in the smartphone sector. Foxconn has been Apple’s iPhone contract manufacturer for years, and its massive iPhone factory is located near the new electric vehicle centre.
In addition to the electric vehicle R&D centre, Foxconn is also building a headquarters for its New Business division in Zhengzhou. This facility will focus on the company’s ‘3+3 Strategy’, which encompasses three new business areas (electric vehicles, digital health, and robotics) and three key technologies (AI, next-generation communications, and semiconductors).
Foxconn has been targeting the automotive industry for years and has already developed several battery-electric vehicle prototypes under the Foxtron brand. These prototypes serve as blueprints for potential customer vehicles. Recently, Daimler Truck’s subsidiary Fuso established a joint venture with Foxconn for the development and production of electric buses. Additionally, since 2024, Foxconn has been operating the joint venture ZF Foxconn Chassis Modules with the German supplier ZF. This partnership recently opened a new plant in Hungary for electric axles.
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