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Jul 11
Nissan shifts production of its Kicks SUV to Japan, taps Foxconn to revive underused Oppama plant
Nissan will start producing its compact SUV, the Kicks, at the Oppama plant in Kanagawa Prefecture in the second half of fiscal 2025 (October 2025 to March 2026), according to Nikkei. The decision targets raising plant utilization, which has dropped to approximately 40%, far below the 80% breakeven point.
Hyundai Motor is considering the construction of a third electric vehicle (EV) plant in Europe as part of its broader strategy to capitalize on the region's EV recovery and offset potential risks from rising US trade barriers. The automaker sees Europe as both a strategic growth market and a manufacturing base to navigate tariff-related headwinds through localized production.
Japanese and South Korean automakers are beginning to pass rising trade costs onto American consumers as hopes for a swift resolution to tariff negotiations with the US continue to fade.
In a bid to pull itself out of a deepening business crisis, Nissan Motor has announced sweeping structural reforms that could drastically reshape its production network and leave thousands of Japanese suppliers in peril.
Jim Keller, acclaimed semiconductor architect and Tenstorrent CEO, will deliver his first keynote at the fifth RISC-V Summit China from July 16 to 19 in Shanghai. His speech, "Open Hardware for Future Intelligence," highlights the event's growing importance amid US-China tech tensions and China's push for chip independence.
Ford will move forward with its US$3 billion lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery plant in Marshall, Michigan, after the Trump administration's US$3.4 trillion budget bill preserved key production tax credits. The change clears the way for Ford to use LFP technology licensed from China's CATL, which was previously restricted under US trade rules.

A sweeping Republican-sponsored bill informally dubbed the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" has cleared both chambers of Congress and now awaits President Donald Trump's signature. Once signed into law, it will repeal the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a cornerstone of former President Biden's climate and clean energy agenda, effectively marking the end of a short-lived era of generous federal subsidies for electric vehicles and renewable energy.

President Donald Trump's return to the White House may have dealt a blow to the clean energy subsidies championed under President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), but his administration is doubling down on "America First" manufacturing and mounting a fierce blockade against Chinese electric vehicles (EVs).

Taiwan's electric scooter market appears to be entering a new phase—one defined by a tripartite division of battery-swapping networks. But with limited space, dense urban populations, and room still left for adoption growth, a fundamental question arises: How many battery-swapping systems does Taiwan need? And more importantly, what are the hidden costs and long-term risks that come with this model?

Driven by global industrial trends and supportive local policies, Taiwan has taken an aggressive lead in developing its electric scooter industry. With major players like Gogoro Network and Kymco's Ionex already entrenched, a potential new entrant — a coalition between Sanyang Motor (SYM) and CPC Corporation, Taiwan's state-owned oil company — is sparking debate over whether the market can support a third battery-swapping system.

Taiwan's electric scooter industry may be on the cusp of a new chapter—one defined not just by innovation, but by fragmentation. With the potential emergence of a third battery-swapping network led by SYM and CPC Corporation, the sector is poised to evolve once more, raising fundamental questions about infrastructure, competition, and consumer adoption.
Gogoro Network has introduced a zero monthly rental plan for its electric scooters in Taiwan, marking a new phase in its decade-long effort to cultivate the market. Following the launch of an unlimited riding subscription in April 2025, the plan aims to provide greater affordability and attract gasoline-powered scooter users to switch to electric.