Written by | Guanchejun

Who could have predicted this? Sharp, the 'Father of Liquid Crystal' that once outshone Sony and Samsung in the TV market, is no longer locked in price wars with domestic color TV brands. Instead, it's now gearing up to compete with Tengshi and Buick in the MPV market, directly targeting gentlemen drivers!

Recent reports reveal that Sharp made a splash at the Tokyo Motor Show in late October, showcasing a pure electric MPV concept car named LDK+, as depicted in the following images. Touted as an 'extension of the living room,' this vehicle is slated for launch in 2027.

01 From the 'King of Liquid Crystal' to a 'Market Also-Ran'

How dominant was Sharp in its heyday? In 2004, it commanded a 28% share of the global liquid crystal TV market, outpacing Samsung and Sony. 'Sharp screens' were synonymous with top-tier quality.

But times have indeed changed. In the first half of 2025, Samsung, TCL, and LG secured the top five spots in global TV shipments, while Sharp was relegated to the 'Others' category, failing to even make a proper ranking.

The domestic situation is even more dire. In the third quarter of this year, eight domestic brands accounted for a staggering 96% of the market, with Sharp and three other foreign brands combined for less than 5%. To say Sharp is 'marginalized' is an understatement; it's akin to falling from king to bronze.

Financially, Sharp has also endured consecutive years of significant losses, with a nearly 150 billion yen loss in the 2023 fiscal year and an even larger 260 billion yen loss in 2022. Although profit indicators have since 'turned positive,' revenue continues its downward trajectory.

02 Is Car Manufacturing a Path to Salvation or a Dead End?

Seeing little hope for reviving its TV business, Sharp is now pinning its hopes on car manufacturing. This LDK+ is essentially a pure electric MPV, vying for the same market segment as the familiar Tengshi D9 and Buick GL8. However, the choice of partners is intriguing: Foxconn, a contract manufacturing giant, and a small Japanese company, FoloFly.

Foxconn is renowned for its proficiency in contract manufacturing electric vehicles for others, yet it has yet to produce a single hit model of its own. FoloFly, on the other hand, is an even more obscure player, virtually unknown in the industry.

Here, Guanchejun raises several pertinent questions:

Can Sharp turn its fortunes around with Foxconn, given that Foxconn has yet to produce a blockbuster car?

If Sharp can barely sell TVs anymore, can it truly succeed in selling cars?

Will consumers embrace the 'home appliance store selling cars' model?

Can salespeople, who have spent a decade selling refrigerators and TVs, effectively explain three-electric systems (battery, motor, and electronic control), chassis tuning, and range discrepancies to customers? Won't they end up just saying, 'Our car has a big screen with the same picture quality as your Sharp TV at home'? Isn't that just the 'sell a TV, get a car free' gimmick?

Of course, we shouldn't entirely dismiss Sharp's potential. It's not without its strengths; after all, as the 'Father of Liquid Crystal,' its accumulation in screen technology is unmatched by other new automotive players.

If Sharp can truly innovate with the MPV's central control screen and rear entertainment screen, such as by introducing a foldable giant screen or seamless integration with home audio-visual systems, it might attract a group of 'tech-savvy dads' and carve out a niche market.

However, the problems remain: car manufacturing isn't just about screens! How reliable are the three-electric systems? How comfortable is the chassis tuning? Can quality control be maintained? Will after-sales service networks keep up? These are all areas Sharp has never ventured into before.

Sharp fell into its current predicament with TVs due to a lack of innovation and strategic missteps. If it now relies solely on 'screen advantages' as a selling point for cars, it risks repeating past mistakes.

03 Is Sharp's Car Manufacturing Venture a Viable Proposition?

No hype: Sharp's brand recognition still lingers, especially among older users who have a sentimental attachment to it. Coupled with Foxconn's manufacturing capabilities, at least the 'building it' step shouldn't pose a major problem.

No negativity: The electric vehicle market is far from a blue ocean. Tesla, BYD, NIO, Xpeng, Li Auto, Hongmeng series, Xiaomi... each is a formidable competitor. Sharp, as a 'crossover player,' lacks technological accumulation, channel advantages, and brand influence... do young people even recognize Sharp anymore?

In essence, Sharp's foray into car manufacturing resembles a 'desperate gamble for self-rescue.'

If it wins, it might truly open up a second growth curve; if it loses, it could be the final straw that breaks the camel's back.

Will it be a 'breakthrough' or a 'breakdown'? 2027 will tell.

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