Foxconn’s chairman Young Lu said that Lordstown Motors will start getting its electric pickup trucks to customers in the second half of 2022.
Lu made his comments during an online speech at Foxconn’s year-end event, reports Nikkei Asia. Promising an exceptional but challenging start to the year, he was unequivocal about Lordstown’s manufacturing future.
“Electric pick-ups made in cooperation with Lordstown will begin shipping in the second of this year,” he said earlier this month. Just a few days later, Lordstown posted a photo of a trio of pre-production test vehicles on Facebook.
Read Also: Foxconn And Lordstown Motors Deal Official, Ohio Factory Goes To Apple Component Manufacturer
“Endurance pre-production is underway,” Lordstown wrote in the post. “Thanks to our collaboration with Foxconn, our pre-production vehicles are rolling out of assembly and into diverse testing environments. This will enable us to both prove and refine the durability, connectivity, and maneuverability of our vehicles as well as additional performance criteria for our fleet customers.”
Although that’s later than initially promised, Lu’s assertion aligns with a more recent estimate made by Lordstown in November 2021. The company cited parts and materials shortages, saying it would start shipping the truck in Q3 2022, one quarter later than first proposed. The chairman’s comments, though, do allow some wiggle room for another short delay.
Foxconn bought the Lordstown, Ohio, factory in November 2021 as part of a $230 million deal. The Endurance, Lordstown’s pickup, has hub-mounted motors that should allow it to dedicate more interior space to passengers and allow the wheels to be spun independently.
Unfortunately, in an early pre-production test, the truck reportedly caught fire, so everyone will hope these tests will go better. Foxconn’s purchase of the plant came after U.S. regulators launched an investigation into Lordstown Motors following allegations that it misled investors.
[embedded content]
