Foxconn is dropping electric tractors for California’s Monarch Tractor after selling its Ohio factory to SoftBank.
Monarch CEO Praveen Penmetsa confirmed the move in a LinkedIn comment Tuesday.
Foxconn built a few hundred tractors at the former General Motors plant it bought from Lordstown Motors in 2022. But after selling the factory to SoftBank, Monarch’s contract ends. 
“We worked with Foxconn to build up inventory before the factory sale,” Penmetsa said.
“We have enough to meet customer demand for the next 12 months, along with ample spare parts.”
SoftBank plans to turn the factory into a hub for the Stargate AI project, a collaboration led by OpenAI and Oracle.
Foxconn once called the facility the “most important electric vehicle manufacturing and R&D hub in North America.”
Monarch was one of four EV startups Foxconn touted as clients. The other three have all gone bankrupt. Lordstown Motors, Fisker Inc., and IndiEV all failed to sustain business at the plant.
Monarch itself struggled, laying off employees last year and pivoting after California’s wine industry took a hit.
Penmetsa added Monarch is eyeing new manufacturing partners to launch more products soon.
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