🏆How Can Taiwan be a Leader in EVs?🚗
Why is Taiwan EV Guru Jack Cheng Betting on Japan?
Jack Cheng, the former CEO of the Foxconn-initiated MIH Consortium and co-founder of Chinese EV brand Nio, is a veteran of the automotive industry and a staunch believer in the future of smart mobility. As the new head of EV solutions provider M Mobility, Cheng is focusing on Japan. What are his suggestions for Taiwan’s EV industry?
By MengHsuan Yang
Earlier this year in April, Jack Cheng left MIH, the open EV platform initiated by Foxconn, to serve as chairman at M Mobility, a startup that will commercialize the platform. Since then, people have been wondering what the industry trailblazer is up to.
“The most important mission of Taiwan’s electric vehicle industry is expanding into overseas markets,” says Cheng.
The first market Cheng is looking to conquer is neighboring Japan. The country is the second-largest EV market in Asia behind China, but EV market penetration stands at just 2 percent. On top of that, leading Japanese carmaker Toyota is a staunch supporter of gas-powered cars.
“The metropolitan areas in Japan such as Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya are the strongholds of Toyota, Nissan, and Honda,” says Cheng. Therefore, M Mobility will focus on more remote areas such as Ishigaki Island southwest of Okinawa and Kumamoto in southern Kyushu.
Establishing an Ecosystem with Japanese Partners
Cheng points out that Japan’s smaller islands such as Okinawa and Ishigaki have a strong demand for public transportation. On Ishigaki, M Mobility cooperates with Japanese startup Emobi, persuading them to use Gogoro’s battery exchange system. Cheng also introduced several Taiwanese software firms from the MIH Consortium to the Japanese side. Presently, Emobi runs a fleet of 30 electric tricycles that are used for tourism on the island.
“As for Kumamoto, that’s a Taiwanese stronghold (because of TSMC),” Cheng explains. He reveals that M Mobility is currently in discussions with the government of Kumamoto Prefecture and Taiwanese companies regarding the establishment of a complete EV ecosystem.
To that aim, M Mobility could provide electric vehicles as well as software for carbon management, vehicle management, and driver assistance systems. The Japanese partners could provide capital and loans, energy storage facilities, and alternative energy sources such as solar panels.
Cheng says his most important job at M Mobility is finding access to overseas markets. “Six months ago, when I brought about a cooperation in the Japanese market, I saw a ray of hope. I want to continue to bring Taiwanese companies to the Japanese market.”
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