- Foxconn, known for its iPhone manufacturing business, is going into the lucrative electric crossover market.
- Through its Foxtron joint venture, the Taiwanese company unveiled a Tesla Model Y competitor.
- The Cavira boasts a longer wheelbase than the Model Y and is powered by an LFP battery.
Foxconn, the Taiwanese company that’s probably best known for its iPhone assembly lines, wants to get serious about making electric cars. So serious, in fact, that it wants a piece of the pie that the ubiquitous Tesla Model Y currently dominates.
Through its Foxtron joint venture, the electronics giant just unveiled the Cavira, a mid-size electric crossover that beats the American-made Model Y on wheelbase length, which should translate into a more accommodating interior for rear passengers.
Photo by: Foxtron
Measuring in at 114.9 inches, the Cavira’s wheelbase is 1.1 inches longer than its Tesla rival. Meanwhile, Foxtron’s latest model is 195.4 in long and 75 in wide, which means it’s 6.7 in longer and 0.6 in narrower than the Model Y.
But exterior dimensions are just one part of the story. Foxconn is still a rookie when it comes to making cars, at least compared to Tesla’s long-running list of achievements, so it has to attract buyers with more than a bigger slab of metal.
Specs-wise, the Taiwanese model is perfectly adequate, with the entry-level Emerge Long-Range Edition powered by a single, rear-mounted electric motor with 249 horsepower (186 kilowatts) and a 359-mile (578-kilometer) estimated range. Mind you, that’s on the WLTC cycle, which is known to produce more optimistic numbers than the EPA cycle.
If that’s not enough power, there’s the dual-motor Pioneer version, which delivers 468 hp (349 kW), which is enough to propel the five-seat SUV from zero to 62 miles per hour (0-100 kph) in 3.8 seconds, according to Foxtron.
Both variants get an 82.7-kilowatt-hour lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack, which can be DC fast charged at up to 175 kW. According to the carmaker, less than 30 minutes are needed for a 10-to-80% top-up.
Photo by: Foxtron
Inside, the car looks like it could wear just about any badge in the world. It has a huge, 15.6-inch portrait-oriented central touchscreen, as well as a generous digital instrument cluster in front of the steering wheel. There’s also a row of physical buttons under the main screen, and one of the standout features is a built-in fragrance system with three options: Serene Interlude, Whispered Essence, and Sweet Tranquility. Foxtron’s words, not mine.
The automaker says the Cavira is built on a dedicated EV platform that supports over-the-air software updates and comes with a few safety features baked in, including a Driver Monitoring System, blind spot detection, a 360-degree surround camera view, and rear cross-traffic alert. Adaptive cruise control with lane following control and traffic jam assist are also part of the pack, as is a vehicle-to-load feature that can deliver up to 1,900 watts from the high-voltage battery through the charge port to power tools and appliances.
It’s a decent package, but it all comes down to price. The Foxtron Cavira starts from roughly $40,000 (NT1.2 million) and will go on sale in Taiwan first, with more markets to follow. In theory, Foxconn could also build the electric crossover in the U.S., but it’s quite a long shot. The company used to own the former General Motors factory in Lordstown, Ohio, which also assembled the ill-fated Lordstown Endurance electric pickup.
However, Foxconn sold the factory and land to an entity called Crescent Dune LLC last year. Despite the transaction, the Taiwanese contract manufacturer said it will still be “involved in the manufacturing of products for customers at the Lordstown facility.” The sale happened last year, and there are currently precisely zero EVs being built under contract in Ohio.
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Source: Foxtron