The major electronics manufacturer Sharp is moving forward with development of an electric passenger van with the aim of commercializing it within the next few years.
News of a Sharp EV was met with surprise when the story first broke in early September. Sharp once boasted a world-leading share of the market for liquid crystal panels and solar cells but is now under the umbrella of Taiwan's Hon Hai Technology Group, which is known throughout the world as Foxconn. The company is well known for making iPhones and other gadgets and may not be as well known as a developer of automobiles. But in recent years, Foxconn has begun dipping into EV design and production. So what kind of EVs will it bring to the world?
A Focus on “Stopped Time”
One glimpse of this direction was given by the LDK+ concept model that Sharp recently unveiled at a technology exhibition event. It is an EV that considers the interior of the van as an extended living room and focuses on the “time when the car is stopped.” In other words, by enhancing the functions that allow the effective use of the interior space while the car is parked or charging, Sharp is attempting to bring new value to EVs.
“We added the ‘plus’ to the name because it means there is another room in addition to the living room and dining room,” says Mototaka Taneya, Sharp's senior managing director and chief technology officer, who gave the keynote speech at the event. “Especially because it is an EV, by using electricity there is the possibility that this space can be utilized in various ways. We have developed our strategy with that idea in mind.”
Most notably, this concept car has a 65-inch display at the rear of the car, and the rear seats can be rotated to face backward to create a theater. It's also Sharps' vision that the EV will be used in an air-conditioned environment for people to concentrate while working remotely or studying, or for children to play. By utilizing Sharp's home appliance know-how and artificial intelligence, the car will have a function that optimizes the temperature of the air conditioner and the brightness of the lights to suit the needs of each individual.
In addition, when the doors are closed, the liquid crystal shutters on the windows on both sides will darken to create a dimmer, more private space. The car is also expected to be equipped with functions that will be useful in times of disaster, such as the ability to output power from the EV battery to be used at home.
The LDK+ designers are also planning for the future scenario when autonomous driving technology will evolve to the point where the act of "driving" will become unnecessary, and all passengers will be able to enjoy the full space while traveling. “When that time comes, the value of the space in an EV will become important, such as how you spend your time there, what value it creates, and how you can relax,” Taneya says.
My impression after checking out the minivan concept model at the exhibition hall was that the interior certainly looked comfortable. In an environment like Japan where homes are not particularly spacious, this could be particularly useful as an extension of the home. If companies were to introduce it as a business vehicle, it could also be used as a remote office.
Hon Hai’s EV Platform
But how can Sharp, which has no know-how in automobile development, develop an EV? The key to this lies with a particular individual at its parent company, Hon Hai. His name is Jun Seki, and he's the chief strategy officer of the company's EV division.
Seki is a professional in the automotive industry who served as deputy chief operating officer of Nissan Motor Co. and president and CEO of Nidec (now Nidek). Seki took up his current position in February 2023 and is leading the development of EVs at the Hon Hai Group. Some may be surprised to hear that Hon Hai, known for contract manufacturing of digital products such as Apple's iPhone, Amazon's Kindle, and Nintendo's game consoles, is working on EVs. However, Hon Hai has already launched an EV: In October 2021, the company announced its entry into the EV business with Taiwanese automaker Yulon Motors and launched an SUV-type EV called the Model C in the Taiwanese market.
Sharp's EV van will be based on the same platform as the Model C. The division of labor will see Hon Hai providing the hardware that will form the basis of the EV, while Sharp will be responsible for the design and development of the interior space and functions. Hon Hai is developing EVs because it believes it can significantly expand its business in the future, centering on contract production of EVs. EV sales growth is slowing worldwide, but this will change as batteries become cheaper and charging times become shorter, explained Hon Hai's Seki, who gave the keynote speech at the event.
“We are developing solid-state and semi-solid-state batteries, and we think the charging time to 90 percent will be about five minutes,” Seki said. “I can't say for sure 2027 or 2028, but I think it will happen fairly soon.”
Hon Hai is steadily working to create the ecosystem that will be necessary when the shift to EVs becomes more widespread in the next few years. According to Seki, Hon Hai has established a system that covers everything from supplying EV parts, modules, and platforms to contract manufacturing, and is also expanding into the business of charging systems and home batteries.
Turning EVs Into Smartphones
In addition, Hon Hai is leading the MIH Consortium, the world's largest open platform for EV development. The group's aim is to make EV development easier by formulating standards for parts and software required for EV development and mass production, and by having participating companies supply them. There are already over 2,700 participating companies, including many Japanese companies and Japanese-affiliated companies, making it a hidden powerhouse in the automotive industry.
Strengthening this system will lead to Hon Hai not only accepting EV contract manufacturing, but also taking on the entire business from the design and development stage onwards. In other words, the company is trying to take the formula that brought it so much success in the smartphone field and apply it to EVs.
When Foxconn's efforts get on track, EVs have the potential to truly become “smartphone-like,” and the automotive industry will reach a major turning point. The joint development of EVs with Sharp will surely be a test of that.
This story was originally published by WIRED Japan.
