Taiwan's Foxconn eyes Japan electric vehicle market

台灣富士康瞄準日本電動車市場

Chief Strategy Officer Jun Seki touts company’s speed and cost advantages


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Foxconn Chief Strategy Officer Jun Seki said Wednesday the company is eager to cooperate with Japanese automakers as it expands its electric vehicle business.

Known as a contract manufacturer for Apple, Microsoft, and other tech giants, Foxconn is leveraging its electronics expertise to enter the EV sector, per Nikkei Asia. The company held a strategy briefing in Tokyo on Wednesday, drawing over 300 industry professionals, per Liberty Times.

Seki, who joined Foxconn in 2023, said its strength lies in speed and cost efficiency, adding that EV manufacturing is simpler than traditional carmaking. The company allows clients to launch branded EVs with customized adjustments while avoiding the complexities of in-house development.

“We are very confident on speed and cost because it's an EV,” Seki explained. “It was impossible to do this with an engine and transmission. EV production is much simpler.”

Foxconn operates strictly in the B2B space and does not plan to compete directly with automakers, he added. “We want our clients to succeed with our vehicles.”

Foxconn hopes to replicate its success in electronics, where it held a 46.1% global market share in 2023. Seki said a similar target of 40% market share in automotive is possible, but emphasized that launching its own EV brand would undermine client trust.

He confirmed that Foxconn is finalizing a deal to supply EVs to Mitsubishi—its first major contract with a global carmaker. The EV model is expected to launch in Oceania next year. Foxconn also plans to produce electric buses for Japan, though details remain undisclosed.

Foxconn entered EV manufacturing in 2019, promoting its Contract Design and Manufacturing Service model, which focuses on production without building its own brand—unlike traditional automakers’ vertically integrated approach.

After the collapse of the Honda-Nissan merger talks, Foxconn proposed a four-way collaboration with Honda, Nissan, and Mitsubishi. Seki said he has not initiated contact with Nissan and is waiting for the right time to propose a partnership.