The Byton M-Byte was originally supposed to be launched in 2019 but, it hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing. Like many other EV startups, the company quickly ran into problems and was forced to furlough employees as well as suspend most of their operations.
However, Byton has found a white knight in
the form of iPhone maker Foxconn and the Nanjing Development Zone. All three
have signed a strategic cooperation framework which aims to “jointly accelerate
production of Byton’s 1st model M-Byte by the first quarter of 2022.”
Under the terms of the agreement, “Foxconn
will provide its expertise in advanced manufacturing technology, solid
operational management experience and will share industrial resources to
support the production of Byton’s M-Byte.” This is being done to advance
Foxconn’s own electric vehicle ambitions, which call for the creation of a
flexible platform that can underpin a variety of vehicles including hatchbacks,
sedans, SUVs and MPVs.
Little else is known about the deal, but Automotive
News is reporting Foxconn is investing around US$ 200 (£ 147 / € 163) million. Byton
also noted construction of their plant in Nanjing has been completed and the
first pre-production vehicles rolled off the assembly line early last year.
In a statement, Foxconn Chairman Young Liu
said “We are pleased to work with Byton to advance the production of the
M-Byte. This will allow us to contribute toward the further growth of the EV
industry, a demonstration of our commitment in the transformation of the traditional
automotive industry.”
As a refresher, the M-Byte is slated to
feature a 201 hp front electric motor and a 268 hp rear electric motor. They’ll be powered by 72 and 95 kWh battery packs,
which are designed to enable a range of up to 550 km in the New
European Driving Cycle.
