LIVERMORE, Calif. – May 10, 2023 – For most people, April 4, 2023, felt like an ordinary day. But for the agriculture industry, this was a critical milestone. It marked the first batch of Monarch MK-V electric tractors rolling off the line in the Foxconn, Ohio facility. Behind this launch is an extraordinary collaboration marked by record-breaking schedules and a promise of a more prosperous future for agribusiness, farming communities, and ag equipment manufacturing. Foxconn’s VP of North American EV Business, Rick Rajaie, explains why.
The manufacturing partnership between Monarch Tractor and Foxconn is one for the record books. Rajaie describes it as “record breaking” and something “no contract manufacturer has ever achieved, worldwide.”
To back up his bold statement, Rajaie pointed to another important date; August 18, 2022. This is the day Foxconn introduced its workers to a new product for the plant — the Monarch MK-V, the world’s first driver-optional, smart, 100% electric tractor.
“The teams have worked collaboratively through builds in California and have successfully transitioned the process in less than eight weeks,” says President and Co-founder of Monarch Tractor, Mark Schwager. “The two partners have worked tirelessly to execute two starts of production in two consecutive quarters.”
Rajaie attributes the success to the companies’ shared DNA over vision, execution, and collaboration. “We are successful when our partners are successful,” he says.
The Monarch and Foxconn partnership aims to increase prosperity for many. Putting a Monarch MK-V into the hands of farmers gives them a path to profitability while simultaneously helping the environment. It also means more prosperous times for rural communities that are tied to agriculture and electrification.
“This milestone is only the beginning of our work here,” Rajaie says. “We look forward to manufacturing more electric tractors for Monarch as well as securing more business for our plant in Ohio.”