Apple Supplier Foxconn to Begin Building Electric Vehicle Factory in the U.S. Next Year

Foxconn, one of Apple’s largest suppliers, has said it will begin construction of all-electric vehicle plants in the United States and Thailand this year, with hopes of them being operational by 2023, according to a report from Nikkei Asia.

From the report:

Foxconn, the world’s largest contract electronics producer, on Thursday said it will build electric vehicle manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and Thailand next year, as the key iPhone assembler accelerates efforts to catch the rising EV wave to offset the slowing smartphone industry.

Foxconn has already ruled out Mexico as a location but is in negotiations with three states in the U.S. to build its first EV manufacturing plant in North America, Nikkei Asia has learned. Those include Wisconsin, which just agreed with Foxconn to amend its former plan of investing $10 billion in the state — a promise Foxconn made in 2017.

At first, Foxconn will use the U.S. plant to build vehicles for its client Fisker, although there could be a potential expansion to serve Apple in the future.

Apple is widely reported to be working on its own vehicle and is thought to be looking for third-party companies to help it launch the Apple Car. One report vaguely referenced Foxconn as a potential candidate for the ‌Apple Car‌’s production, but Apple is also looking at other possible suppliers. Apple is reportedly committed to ensuring that the battery used in the ‌Apple Car‌ is produced in the United States, but Foxconn does not produce batteries.