Mitsubishi’s new Outlander will make it first few electric car in Australia An unlikely source of technology for Mitsubishi’s first electric car for Australia It is Mitsubishi’s first electric car, since 2012, but not from the source you might expect. The Japanese manufacturer is understood to have signed a deal with Taiwanese contract manufacturer Foxconn, the company which assembles Apple’s leading devices, to build a high-tech electric SUV set to be introduced Down Under before anywhere else.
Tech Giant Wants to Take You for a Ride Earlier this month, I wrote about the challenges of designing cars when you’re a company like Apple, Facebook or Google.
The company has been quietly building its automotive manufacturing expertise for years under the influence of Terry Gou, Foxconn’s founder and longtime chairman, who has looked to push his company beyond consumer electronics. The deal with Mitsubishi is a coup for the Taiwanese company’s electric vehicle ambitions, providing the company with a well-known automotive name as a customer after years of development and investment.
“Partnering on projects like this is where old-school automotive tech meets advanced technology manufacturing,” says automotive industry analyst Maya Peterson. “Foxconn offers precision manufacturing at scale, while Mitsubishi delivers decades of automotive design and distribution know-how.”
The vehicle at the heart of agreement is Foxconn’s “Model B” – compact, crossover-style electric SUV with a more current design that could in some segments be perceived as similar to more popular small electric SUVs. The vehicle will include the kind of technology integration and user experience many consumers might imagine coming from a company with deep roots in the smartphone business, industry insiders say.
First Australia, World Domination
And the fact that it opens in Australia first is especially apt. Although the introduction of most automotive technologies starts in places like Europe, China and North America, Australia’s rapidly growing interest in EVs is proving to be appealing for experimentation.
“New Vehicle Efficiency Standard Australia penalties that kick in on July 1, this timing is highly strategic for Mitsubishi,” says electric vehicle policy expert Tim Walker. “The brand’s current range is now heavily centred on internal combustion engines and plug-in hybrids, making it more susceptible to these type of regulations.
It could not come at a more crucial time for Mitsubishi in Australia, which has watched its model line-up shrink to virtually the Outlander SUV and the Triton pick-up in recent years. While it was one of the very first with the i-MiEV, more than a decade has passed since that early effort, and Mitsubishi since then has effectively sat on the sidelines in the pure electric vehicle space and concentrated on plug-in hybrid technology.
Tech Marvel or Market Misstep?
The collaboration is raising some intriguing questions. Can a technology firm that puts together smartphones for a living make the leap to building something as complicated as a car? Evidence indicates that Foxconn is serious about this challenge.
The Model B is said to be part of a larger EV platform developed by Foxconn that will support a range of body styles from compact SUVs to larger people-movers and commercial vehicles. Initial specs for other cars on this platform also promise a range of up to 700km, depending on variant, for the larger models, but we’ve yet to be told specifics for the Mitsubishi-badged Model B.
What we do know is that Foxconn has been investing heavily in automotive talent, tapping former Nissan exec Jun Seki, to lead its EV operations. This indicates dedication to quality and safety, in a manner not merely shoehorning in smartphone manufacturing for automobiles.
Is There a Manufacturing Re…
Perhaps the most interesting thing about the collaboration, however, is what it says about the future of manufacturing. Foxconn seems to be trying to bring its contract manufacturing model — in which it builds products designed by other companies — to the automotive industry. This is a huge departure for how cars could be made in the future.
“This has the potential to transform carmaking,” says David Chen, a consultant to the industry. Auto companies traditionally design and manufacture their own cars or create deep joint ventures. The Foxconn model could let car brands concentrate on design, software and customer experience while outsourcing the tough, heavy-duty work to manufacturing specialists.”
For Mitsubishi, which has found big capital investment in independent zero emissions vehicle development something of a struggle, it offers a faster route to market with potentially less development cost. It also enables them to tap Foxconn to help with electronics integration and supply chain control.
Looking Ahead
The details of the partnership have not been officially confirmed by either Mitsubishi or Foxconn, but industry sources say the first Model B vehicles will begin to arrive on Australian Mitsubishi dealers’ forecourts in the first half of 2026. Pricing and other details are not yet disclosed, but it is anticipated that the car will challenge among the fullest electric compact SUVs rivalling in the marketplace.
This alliance could also herald industry shifts more widespread. Rumours persist of other potential collaborations between Foxconn and Japan’s other car makers, such as Nissan (Mitsubishi’s biggest shareholder) and even Honda. It may be looking to technology companies for partnerships to help face the combined challenges of electrification and digitalization that the traditional car industry is grappling with.
This will be welcome news for Australian consumers with another attractive electric vehicle option soon to be available. For the global automotive industry, it’s a fascinating experiment about how cars could be designed and built in the future. And one where the line between tech company and car company keeps blurring.
As we await the arrival of this quirky car on Australian shores one thing seems clear: the company that helps bring the digital world to your pocket now wants to have a hand in shaping how you travel through the physical one.