Foxconn to make self-driving electrical tractor at identical Ohio manufacturing facility as EVs from Lordstown, Fisker

Foxconn will manufacture self-driving electrical tractors for startup Monarch Tractor on the identical Ohio manufacturing facility the place it plans to assemble EVs for startups Fisker and Lordstown.

California-based Monarch introduced completion of a contract-manufacturing settlement with Foxconn final week. Manufacturing of the Monarch Mk-V tractor is scheduled to start on the Ohio manufacturing facility within the first quarter of 2023, following an preliminary, smaller manufacturing run at Monarch’s personal facility Livermore, California, towards the top of 2022.

Monarch Mk-V electrical tractor

Monarch’s press launch saying the settlement stated it is working with Foxconn on “next-generation agricultural gear and battery packs,” probably leaving room for different manufacturing partnerships past the tractor.

Monarch accomplished a $61 million Sequence B funding spherical in 2021. On the time, it stated it could launch 15 pilot applications for its tractor.

The 6.2-million square-foot manufacturing facility that may construct the Monarch tractor—together with at the very least two different EVs—is positioned in Lordstown, Ohio, and was constructed by Normal Motors. It final manufactured the Chevrolet Cruze compact automobile earlier than GM successfully deserted it in 2018 amid a collection of cutbacks.

Monarch Mk-V electrical tractor

A number of the individuals concerned with electrical truck startup Workhorse shaped a brand new entity known as Lordstown Motors, acquired the factory, deliberate and use it to fabricate the Endurance electrical pickup truck. That’s finally scheduled to start later this yr, however with Foxconn operating the manufacturing facility and manufacturing the Endurance for Lordstown underneath contract.

GM later in 2019 announced a battery plant for the area, and the non-union facility has grow to be one of many core Ultium Cells LLC crops supplying its large-format pouch cells.

Foxconn is because of begin making the $29,900 Fisker Pear on the identical manufacturing facility in 2024. The Pear can be Fisker’s second manufacturing mannequin, after the Ocean SUV, which is scheduled to start out manufacturing at Magna’s Austrian facility later this yr.