CONNECT WITH US
Nov 12
Aleees makes Tainan plant launchpad for North American LFP expansion
Advanced Lithium Electrochemistry (Aleees), a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathode-material maker, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with a North American partner on November 12 to trial-produce LFP cathode materials through a joint venture, as demand for power batteries and energy storage rises and Europe and the US accelerate supply-chain localization.
Advanced Lithium Electrochemistry (Aleees) plans to make lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathode material precursors in Taiwan and process them in the US under a North American customer agreement, as it seeks to diversify battery supply chains away from China. The company reported a loss for the first nine months as construction-related expenses increased, while planned shipments from 2027 remain subject to execution and customer demand.
Buima Energy reported a slight month-on-month increase but a year-on-year decline in October 2026 revenue, as construction projects entered completion and acceptance phases while battery module shipments remained steady. The company said battery module order visibility has reached six months, with new low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite projects for 2027 in development.
CATL is exploring lithium-air batteries as a long-term research direction, attracting attention to the prospect of electric vehicles travelling more than 2,000km (≈ 1,243 miles) on a charge. That range remains a theoretical scenario, with no announced production battery or vehicle test demonstrating it.
BMW has added LG Energy Solution (LGES) and Samsung SDI as suppliers of sixth-generation (Gen6) high-voltage battery cells, expanding regional sourcing in the US and Europe. The companies are expected to supply cells from established plants in their respective regions from the late 2020s, BMW said in a November 9 announcement. The automaker did not disclose volumes or contract values.
Tariff friction among the EU, the UK and China over electric vehicles and local supply-chain policy is intensifying as a critical 2027 deadline approaches, reshaping competition in the European car market. Under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), the strictest rules of origin will apply from January 2027 to bilateral trade in battery electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said that the company will add an extra production shift for its Cybertrucks to meet order backlogs before it stops manufacturing them. The vehicles —iconic to some and infamous to others— are being phased out after years of sales far below expectations as the company pivots toward robotics and AI.
Tesla's Cybertruck, once hailed by CEO Elon Musk as the company's "best product," is heading towards discontinuation. Musk recently announced on X that production at Tesla's Texas Gigafactory would be phased out around mid-2027, freeing capacity for the autonomous Cybercab robotaxi.
Young Liu, chairman of Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn), repeatedly highlighted the company's strength in vertical integration at Hon Hai Tech Day 2026 (HHTD26), underscoring progress beyond AI data centers and into battery applications. Foxconn is linking materials, cells, battery management systems (BMS), battery packs and end applications as it targets EVs, energy storage, drones and AI data-center backup systems.
The prolonged Middle East conflict is adding to mounting pressure on the global automotive industry, disrupting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and driving up energy, logistics and raw-material costs. With consumer confidence weakening and vehicle prices already elevated, automakers are finding it increasingly difficult to pass on higher expenses, forcing many to absorb the impact through shrinking profit margins.
Two leading server component manufacturers remain optimistic about AI demand despite potential short-term volatility following the US midterm elections. Chenbro Micom CEO Corona Chen said the elections would not derail AI's medium- to long-term development, while Advanced Energy Solution (AES) President Wei-Che Sung said customer demand would remain strong in 2027.
Global sales of electrified vehicles, including hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), are forecast to rise 11.9% to more than 36 million units in 2026, even as overall vehicle sales decline 1.4%, reflecting the accelerating shift toward electrification. Electrified vehicles are expected to account for more than 35% of global new-vehicle sales, while China's BYD is poised to enter the world's top five automakers for the first time, according to Richard Hsieh, senior research manager at the Industry, Science and Technology International Strategy Center of Taiwan's government-funded Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI).