Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Zhejiang Leapmotor Technology has launched a new vehicle platform named Four Leaf Clover, Reuters reported.
The key feature is integrated computing which controls all intelligent functions such as autonomous driving and smart cockpit items.
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The company plans to sell the in house developed architecture to other automakers through tech licensing agreements.
The company reportedly was in discussions with two unnamed foreign companies for supply deals which would enable its models to be produced and sold outside China. One company is a new player in the EV segment.
The appears similar to a strategy Hon Hai (better known as Apple’s contract manufacturer Foxconn) announced last year as it unveiled several BEVs based on the open EV platform it had developed as the leading company of the MIH Consortium.
Hon Hai will sell other automakers either the platform alone or build complete vehicles to order on it on an OEM basis.
“We hope Leapmotor will not only be an EV brand but also license core technology,” CEO Zhu Jiangming said.
According to Reuters, a senior Leapmotor engineer highlighted the architecture’s cost saving benefits achieved by reducing the use of controls and wire harnesses. This reduced materials cost per car by CNY500 (US$70).
The next generation platform is scheduled for launch in 2025.
