Taiwan's Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn) is expected to seal a deal with the Indonesian government and companies by the end of this year to jointly develop the electric vehicle (EV) industry in the Southeast Asian country, Hon Hai Chairman Liu Young-way (???) said Tuesday.
Liu unveiled the plan while talking to the media after hosting a forum on Taiwan's EV industry.
Referring to a brief meeting with Indonesian Minister of Investment Bahlil Lahadalia on EV and battery development last week, Liu said that Hon Hai plans to collaborate with Indonesia using the "Build, Operate and Localize" model.
The cooperation between Hon Hai and the Indonesian government and firms will include not only EV and battery development but the entire EV ecosystem, according to Liu.
Indonesia possesses a wealth of mineral resources to foster an enormous EV industry, Liu noted, adding that a contract for cooperation in the sector, including the manufacturing of electric two-wheelers and four-wheelers, is expected to be signed this year.
Liu also revealed that U.S. electric car manufacturers are likely to begin the use of EV prototypes rolled out by Hon Hai before the end of this year.
Hon Hai and Taiwanese electric scooter maker Gogoro Inc. had been invited to develop Indonesia's EV industry following talks with Bahlil in Taipei on Oct. 22, the Taiwanese company said in a statement issued the next day on Oct. 23.
Gogoro is known for its battery-swapping technology that lets users avoid the usual wait for a charge, while Hon Hai has aggressively ventured into the EV space.
On Oct. 18 during the annual Hon Hai Tech Day, Hon Hai unveiled three new electric vehicle models --the Model C, Model E and Model T electric vehicles -- and an array of EV spare parts and components.
In addition, the company said in a statement on Oct. 1 it is working to establish its first EV plant through acquiring the assets of American automaker Lordstown Motors Corp. in Ohio.
In July, Liu announced at Hon Hai's shareholders meeting that it would collaborate with Fisker to manufacture electric vehicles in the United States, aiming to achieve production of 250,000 vehicles per year by 2024.
Liu also said during the shareholders meeting that the company aims to capture a 10 percent share of the global EV market from 2025 to 2027.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel