Latest news with #Foton
Sky News AU
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Sky News AU
New Sydney buses assembled in China months after Premier Chris Minns' government said fleet will be built in NSW
A fleet of new electric buses set for Greater Sydney have been built in China and not locally, months after NSW Premier Chris Minns' government said the state's South Coast would become a 'manufacturing hub'. The NSW government announced in January that it had awarded vehicle manufacturer Foton a contract to build 126 electric buses at a new manufacturing facility in Nowra. A statement by the government outlined a plan for the buses, which would be added to Greater Sydney's transport network, to be built at the 6,000 square metre bus factory from late 2025. 'The South Coast is set to become a new manufacturing hub for the next generation of public transport,' the statement said. However, pictures posted on Foton Motor's Facebook page, which now appear to have been deleted, have showed over a dozen buses lined up at a Chinese facility before they were shipped to NSW, the Saturday Telegraph has reported. Photos of the buses showed ribbons attached to the front of them, as it appeared a ceremony for the newly completed fleet was held, and another picture showed the unfinished interior of one of the vehicles. It is understood some features such as Opal card reading devices will be added to the buses in NSW. Mr Minns has defended the buses being built overseas, according to the masthead. In January, when the Nowra facility was announced, the Premier said that under his government, bus builders in NSW were 'building them here again.' 'The offshoring of public transport by the former government was a complete disaster, which is why we're building these buses here in NSW – creating local jobs and public transport that works,' Mr Minns said. 'This state of the art facility in Nowra will create ongoing skilled jobs in regional NSW while also delivering emissions free world class public transport for the people of our state." NSW Minister for Transport Jo Haylen had said 100 jobs would be created once the new facility in Nowra was completed. 'We want our local manufacturers and suppliers to have good opportunities to get involved in building the Zero Emissions Buses that we need. That's why we have structured our zero-emissions bus program in a way that builds our bus manufacturing capacity for the long term,' Ms Haylen said. The Nowra factory site is yet to be developed and features such as seats will be installed on the newly built buses at a temporary site on the South Coast, according to The Saturday Telegraph.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Foton, Eve Energy in battery leasing JV for electric trucks
Chinese state-owned commercial vehicle manufacturer Beiqi Foton Motor Company (Foton) has announced it has agreed to establish a joint venture with Eve Energy Company, a local battery manufacturer, to lease batteries for electric-powered trucks. The joint venture will have a registered capital of CNY 500 million (US$ 70 million), with each partner investing in an equal stake. The new company is expected to offer various battery leasing options to Foton's customers, to help boost sales of battery-powered trucks in the local market. The joint venture aims to help reduce the initial purchase cost of Foton electric trucks by offering a separate leasing programme for the batteries, which typically account for a significant proportion of the overall cost of an electric vehicle. Foton hopes that the joint venture will increase the competitiveness of its battery electric vehicles (BEVs). The two companies have yet to confirm the name of the joint venture, as it awaits approval from the Chinese authorities. Foton recently signed a partnership agreement with Huawei Digital Power Technologies Company to collaborate on the development of advanced electrification technologies for battery-powered trucks and to establish an ultra-fast recharging network. "Foton, Eve Energy in battery leasing JV for electric trucks" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
TechCrunch
27-05-2025
- Business
- TechCrunch
Report: TuSimple sent sensitive self-driving data to China after US national security agreement
Self-driving truck startup TuSimple (now CreateAI) sent a trove of sensitive data – effectively the blueprint of an American-made autonomous vehicle system – to a Beijing-owned firm after committing to the U.S. government that it would cease such transfers under a national security agreement, according to The Wall Street Journal. The transfers to Chinese truck manufacturer Foton happened around February 2022, just a week after TuSimple signed the agreement in which U.S. regulators ordered the company to separate its business and technology from China-based employees and partners with firewalls and governance controls. The data sharing continued up until TuSimple's deadline to comply with the agreement six months later, according to hundreds of pages of correspondence that the Journal viewed. A subsequent investigation with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS) found the data sharing didn't technically violate the agreement, though TuSimple was fined for other infractions and paid a $6 million settlement without admitting fault, per the Journal. TechCrunch was unable to reach TuSimple, now CreateAI, for comment. Still, the saga of TuSimple's data transfers to China exposes the limits of U.S. safeguards meant to balance foreign investment with national security. And it's not just data that TuSimple has been trying to get across the border. This latest revelation comes eight months after TechCrunch reported that some of TuSimple's shareholders were trying to block the company from transferring its U.S. funds – roughly $450 million at the time – to the company's Chinese subsidiary to fund a pivot to AI animation and content generation. That drama is still unfolding as one of TuSimple co-founders, Xiaodi Hou, fights in court for control over his voting shares so he can push for liquidation of the company. In December 2024, TuSimple officially rebranded to CreateAI. The company has been embroiled in controversy since going public via IPO in 2021. TuSimple started as a China-backed startup founded in 2015 by Hou and Lu Chen, an entrepreneur with ties to Sina Corp. It quickly became an autonomous vehicle industry favorite, managing to raise around $2 billion from a mixture of Chinese and U.S.-based heavy hitters, and was one of the first in the U.S. to successfully complete a fully driverless run on public highways. Techcrunch event Join us at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot for our leading AI industry event with speakers from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Cohere. For a limited time, tickets are just $292 for an entire day of expert talks, workshops, and potent networking. Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot at TC Sessions: AI and show 1,200+ decision-makers what you've built — without the big spend. Available through May 9 or while tables last. Berkeley, CA | REGISTER NOW TuSimple's plans took a turn for the worse amid internal struggles and federal investigations into the company's ties with China, leading to its decision to exit U.S. operations and voluntarily delisting from the stock market in January 2024. The goal was to restart self-driving operations in China, but both the CFIUS agreement and other court orders that barred the company from transferring assets – financial or otherwise – to China made it next to impossible to restart operations there, the company has told TechCrunch. The Journal's reporting sheds light on a previously reported controversy regarding Hydron, a Chinese hydrogen trucking startup founded by Chen, which shared an office with TuSimple China. The overlap between Hydron and TuSimple was the subject of the 2022 CFIUS probe, during which TuSimple revealed that its employees spent paid hours working for Hydron in 2021 and shared confidential information with the company. According to documents the Journal viewed, TuSimple negotiated a deal in 2021 between Hydron and Foton to develop autonomous trucks. Foton, a subsidiary of state-owned BAIC Group, has an agreement with a Chinese military university to work on AV tech. Through a combination of emails, Slack messages, and video calls, TuSimple sent partners technical instructions for server dimensions, brake designs, sensors, steering, power supply, and chips, per the Journal. Employees also routinely downloaded autonomy source code developed by their American counterparts. As geopolitical tensions and competition with China rise, TuSimple's ties are serving as a cautionary tale for Washington that has helped drive a shift in U.S. policy, prompting stricter rules on Chinese-linked tech deals and fueling a broader push to block high-risk transactions outright.
Wall Street Journal
27-05-2025
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
The Self-Driving Truck Startup That Siphoned Trade Secrets to Chinese Companies
A week after one of America's largest self-driving truck companies promised the U.S. government it would stop sharing sensitive technology with Chinese partners, TuSimple TSPH -3.27%decrease; red down pointing triangle transferred a trove of data to a Beijing-owned firm. 'They want a lot of details,' Xiaoling Han, a U.S.-based TuSimple Holdings employee, said to a colleague. A leading Chinese commercial truck manufacturer, Foton, sought the data from TuSimple's many test drives around Texas. 'It is pretty time consuming,' Han wrote in a February 2022 chat exchange seen by The Wall Street Journal.
The Citizen
27-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Foton's most accessible Tunland 4x4 has merit despite flaws
Although pricier than its immediate rivals, the TLX grade counters with more spec and power, yet requires finessing for the next step up. On first glance, little differentiates the mid-grade TLX from the entry-level Tunland TL. Images: Charl Bosch Sampling two largely identical products from a manufacturer back-to-back seldom happens, but when it does, the differences are often noticeable. Case in point, returning Chinese commercial vehicle brand Foton who supplied The Citizen with two variants of its double cab Tunland G7 bakkie for the weeklong test. The step-up Whereas the first encounter had been with the entry-level, two-wheel-drive TL priced at R399 900, the swap for the second variant involved the mid-spec TLX equipped with the industry benchmark ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic gearbox. In addition to the self-shifter replacing the six-speed manual, the TLX opens the Tunland G7's four-wheel-drive portfolio by placing below the flagship Limited as the most accessible all-paw gripping derivative. Compared to the TL, the inclusion of the part-time all-wheel-drive system and two-pedal transmission has resulted in the Tunland G7 becoming one of the pricier Chinese entrants with a sticker of R559 900. ALSO READ: Most basic Foton Tunland not perfect but strong value package While still substantially undercutting comparative models from Toyota, Ford and Isuzu, the TLX finds itself being noticeably more premium than not only the top-spec JAC T8 Super Lux, but also the Elite version of the LDV T60 and the ever-popular Mahindra Pik Up S11 Karoo. Having come away disappointed but also impressed with the TL, the weeklong stay with the TLX came with slightly more promise from not only the highly regarded 'box, but also bolstered features list and more powerful engine attributed as the reasons for its loftier price. Look closely Aesthetically, and besides the change in colour from the TL's grey to what Foton calls Bright Moon White, the TLX hasn't undergone any external changes right down to the retention of the halogen headlights and daytime running LEDs. In fact, only a 4×4 decal on the tailgate differentiates it from the TL. However, given that the rear-wheel-drive TLX lacks this, it could be argued that slightly more visual enhancements could have been applied to set it apart from its lesser sibling. As such, the TLX retains the 17-inch alloy wheels, side-steps, FOTON block lettering on the grille and front fog lamps – all already standard on the TL. Despite being the step-up from the TL, the TLX's rear facia has not received any model specific changes. Essentially a single model, externally that is, the mixture of Toyota Hilux, Nissan Navara and Mercedes-Benz X-Class styling elements harks back to the 'copy-and-paste' design attitude the majority of Chinese brands have since let go of. While still oddly proportionally given the loadbin appearing shorter than the bonnet, the Tunland G7 TLX is anything but a dullard. However, given how rapidly products from the People's Republic have progressed, a more distinctive 'in-house Foton look' would have gone a step further to dispel the 'copycat' connotations. Interior impresses more Where the opposite continues to apply is the Tunland's interior. With the fitting of the automatic box, the centre console has been redesigned with the result of the cabin, appearing more expensive and arguably worth its price premium. As with the TL, the dual 12.3-inch displays for the instrument cluster and infotainment system remain, however, imitation leather upholstery replaces the cloth trim on the seats. The upgrade in specs has seen two additional speakers being added to the sound system for a total of six, heating elements incorporated into the front chairs and six airbags versus two. Opening the doors reveals an interior different in one-key visual area from the TL. Unlike in the TL, the TLX gets auto on/off headlights that prevents the embarrassment of leaving the lights on, as well as keyless entry to go with the already standard push-button start. While still noticeably premium, the console's piano key black finish seems a bit over-the-top as a less fingerprint-prone hue could have been used. That being said, the setup still doesn't look cluttered and now comes with a BMW iDrive-style rotary controller for the infotainment system, fingertip physical buttons, a toggle switch for the electronic handbrake and Auto Hold, plus proper buttons for the Hill Descent Control and traction control. Cloth seats in the TL have been replaced by imitation leather upholstery Along with a single cupholder, a storage cubby resides at the very front of the console, while the volume knob becomes one of the fingertip switches. This also applies to the drive mode selector, the four-wheel-drive switches and the trio of colour themes for the infotainment system and instrument cluster, rather originally identified by a t-shirt symbol. Still an ergonomically-sorted design, fit-and-finish is felt slightly better than on the TL as no trim pieces had started to detached, as an example. Inclusion of the eight-speed automatic gearbox as seen in the Tunland received a redesigned centre console. However, the seats still felt hard, the instrument cluster partially obscured by a driver's chair that doesn't drop all the way to the bottom, and a steering wheel that only adjusts for rake and not reach. What's more, audio quality was found lacking, even with the two additional speakers. Although, as mentioned with the TL, rear passenger space remains a standout both on the headroom and legroom fronts. Similarly, the workings of the infotainment system are still relatively easy, more so now with the rotary controller, while rear air vents, a single USB port and central armrest add more convenience for those seated at the back. An engine that deserves more As with the TL, matters for the Tunland G7 TLX go array on the powertrain front, a lot more thanks to the usual Chinese vehicle qualm of an oddly calibrated accelerator and misinformed transmission. Powered by the Cummins co-developed 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine, the mill doesn't start with the same ruckus as the TL, though this could possibly be attributed to the TLX having been better run-in as it had over 1 500km on its odometer versus its sibling's less than 500km. On the move, its 120kW/390Nm feels undone by the accelerator/gearbox mix-up to the point where it lacks the responsiveness of the manual. Although renowned as one of the industry's best, the gearbox's programming means it shifts in a tardy fashion when going down, and with an almost double clutch-style low-speed drag when setting off. Even switched to Sport mode and the gear shift paddles in use, the Tunland G7 still felt lethargic despite the engine being eager to rev. While the four-wheel-drive system has, bizarrely, not added any kerb weight, the mismatched drivetrain saw it run a 15.7 second time from 0-100 km/h at Gerotek, 3.6 seconds slower than the manual. What's more, the key overtaking speed of 60 km/h to 140 km/h couldn't be obtained no matter Road Test Editor Mark Jones' best efforts. In fact, the Tunland was out of puff at 133 km/h and actually completed the 0-100 km/h dash slower in Sport mode than in Comfort. On the road Out on the road, the TLX felt similarly bouncy to the TL, although this will most likely improve with a load in the back. Off-road left the same impression, and although the selected road merely represented a very badly maintained and rutted gravel path, the Tunland didn't feel in its element. A 4×4 badge has been added to the tailgate on all all-paw gripping derivatives. That being said, lowering the tyre pressures will have the opposite effect with or without a load in the back. Likely to help further is the standard inclusion of a mechanically locking rear differential not offered on any of the rear-wheel-drive variants. As for fuel consumption, the eventual seven-day stay and 457 km registered an indicated best of 8.8 L/100 km, again impressive considering the powertrain's foibles and supposedly 'weightless addition' of the four-wheel-drive system. Conclusion As with the TL, Foton's four-wheel-drive entry point to the Tunland range with the TLX 4×4 isn't perfect and, arguably, unfairly hamstrung, given the engine's willingness to perform and upmarket finishes for a non-legacy brand bakkie far below R600 000. Therefore, and despite its price premium over its immediate less powerful and equipped rivals, it still deserves a second look. Road Test Data NOW READ: New Foton Tunland not a 'cheaply concocted' Chinese bakkie
