Tesla is reportedly expanding its semiconductor operations in South Korea with a new organization in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, the same city that houses Samsung's wafer fabrication hub. The US EV maker has started hiring semiconductor engineers, stirring industry attention as it strengthens collaboration with Samsung after inking a US$16.5 billion foundry deal for its upcoming AI6 chip.
President Donald Trump's renewed push for aggressive tariffs — aimed at bringing manufacturing back to US soil — has created an unexpected internal fracture within the US auto industry. Detroit's Big Three automakers—General Motors (GM), Ford Motor Company, and Stellantis—are caught between rising costs and political pressure and are forced into uneasy standoffs with their own suppliers.
Taiwan-based Hotai Group has partnered with global satellite navigation and smart wearable brand Garmin to launch an upgraded version of the Drive+ Link intelligent in-car system. As smart vehicle technology advances, car infotainment systems have evolved beyond navigation and entertainment to become indispensable smart assistants during driving.
LG Energy Solution (LGES) reported preliminary financial results for the third quarter of 2025, posting an operating profit of KRW 601.3 billion (approx. US$423 million), up 34.1% year-over-year and surpassing market expectations. Despite reduced customer demand following the US removal of electric vehicle (EV) tax credits, LGES's expanding energy storage system (ESS) business successfully offset the impact.
In the wake of the US government's decision to end electric vehicle (EV) tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) at the end of September 2025, Detroit automakers General Motors and Ford Motor Company sought to keep the US$7,500 incentive alive through their own financing arms—only to face swift political backlash that forced an abrupt reversal.
Tensions are flaring yet again between China and the US. China has reportedly made plans to impose export controls on certain lithium batteries, key anode and cathode materials, and manufacturing equipment starting November 8, 2025. If China enforces the controls, consumer electronics like notebooks will be significantly impacted. However, data center Battery Backup Unit (BBU) systems primarily use Japanese and Korean cells, making the impact there relatively limited.
As the European Union pushes forward with mandatory quotas to accelerate the electrification of corporate and commercial vehicle fleets, its top-down approach is encountering significant market resistance. In stark contrast, China has surged ahead with a dual-track strategy—one that marries policy incentives with economic viability—resulting in widespread adoption and far greater momentum.
The European Union is preparing to push its green transition into a new and more forceful phase — one that could spark a contentious standoff with parts of its own automotive industry.
On October 9, 2025, China's Ministry of Commerce issued Announcements No. 61 and 62, expanding export controls on rare earths. The scope now extends beyond raw materials to include equipment, technology, and assemblies containing rare earth elements. An extraterritorial clause was also introduced, stating that foreign products containing a certain proportion of Chinese-origin rare earths or manufactured using Chinese technology must also apply for export licenses. China emphasized that this clause was intended to improve the regulatory system; in response, the US raised tariffs.
In just three months, China has implemented two sweeping rounds of export restrictions on its lithium battery supply chain, marking a sharp shift in Beijing's strategy from simple industrial protectionism toward a broader geo-economic agenda.
A fatal crash involving a Xiaomi SU7 electric sedan in the southwestern city of Chengdu has raised new questions about the safety of electronic car doors, after reports that the vehicle's doors failed to open following impact.
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