Daimler Truck’s Japanese subsidiary Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation and Taiwan’s Foxconn have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore strategic cooperation in electric bus development, production and distribution, the companies said.
The agreement confirms reports earlier this year that the two sides were in advanced talks. Under the plan, Mitsubishi Fuso Bus Manufacturing and Foxconn’s automotive unit Foxtron Vehicle Technologies will work together on the supply chain, production and distribution of battery-powered buses, including adaptations of Foxtron’s existing Model T and Model U designs.
The Model T, a 12-metre city bus with a range of around 400 kilometres, is already in service in several Taiwanese cities, including Taipei, as well as in Indonesia. The smaller Model U, still in prototype stage, features modular interiors with capacity for up to 21 passengers. Both models will serve as a basis for the collaboration, with jointly developed versions set to be produced in Japan.
Foxconn, best known as the world’s largest electronics contract manufacturer and Apple’s iPhone supplier, has in recent years sought to expand into the automotive sector. Its Foxtron unit has introduced several reference designs intended to showcase its platform’s potential, allowing automakers to customise vehicles based on those templates.
The companies said the partnership would combine Foxconn’s electronics and manufacturing expertise with Mitsubishi Fuso’s long-standing commercial vehicle experience. “The focus is on the bus business,” Mitsubishi Fuso said in a press release, adding that the cooperation will cover “development, production, supply chain management and distribution of electric buses.”
Foxconn has pursued a series of automotive collaborations in recent years, including plans to build an electric car for Mitsubishi and a joint venture with German supplier ZF for chassis systems.