New Delhi and Washington have established an interim trade deal framework targeting electronics, intellectual property, and supply chains. The Economic Times reports that this move aims to enhance competitiveness and improve supply chain resilience. This agreement follows discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, focusing on reducing trade barriers between the two nations.
The South Korean government announced plans to invest KRW464.5 billion (approximately US$316 million) in the automotive sector in 2026, targeting research and development as well as infrastructure upgrades to accelerate the country's transition to next-generation vehicles. Key priorities will include end-to-end artificial intelligence (E2E AI) for autonomous driving, software-defined vehicle (SDV) standard systems, and extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) powertrains.
As the global electric vehicle market grapples with mounting concerns over collapsing resale values, China—the world's largest and most experimentally regulated EV market—is moving decisively with a sweeping policy overhaul.
A single regulatory notice issued recently by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has made the country the first in the world to formally declare the end of what might be called the automotive industry's "era of invisibility." Under the new rules, beginning Jan. 1, 2027, all new vehicles sold in China will be prohibited from using fully electric hidden door handles. The regulation effectively applies the brakes to an industry-wide push toward ever more electronic, futuristic design, forcing automakers to return to a basic principle of physical safety.
Elon Musk said Apple's failed attempt to develop an electric vehicle underscores a broader misconception in the technology industry: that recruiting high-profile talent from established companies is a guarantee of success.
Electric vehicle (EV) charging company U-Power is targeting growing opportunities in the market, with chairman Bob Chen noting that the company has already installed roughly 60 charging stations across Taiwan, and is aiming to increase this number to 100 by the end of 2026.
CATL and Changan Automobile, on February 5, 2026, launched the world's first mass-produced sodium-ion battery EV. According to IT Home and The Beijing News, brands including Avatr, Deepal, Qiyuan, and UNI will gradually adopt CATL's sodium-ion batteries, marking the technology's commercial rollout.
Infineon's first quarter of fiscal year 2026 showed that strong demand linked to artificial intelligence (AI) can cushion cyclical weakness in other markets, reinforcing the company's medium-term growth narrative while also bringing higher investment needs and cash flow pressure into focus.
Tesla, a company that straddles autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence-driven robotics, and the global energy transition, has long insisted that its future would hinge on its ability to reinvent the battery. For years, that bet appeared shaky. The company's homegrown, large-format 4680 battery—once touted as a breakthrough—became a source of doubt, with critics questioning whether Tesla had quietly abandoned the effort.
In an earnings call held on February 3, NXP Semiconductors NV reported fourth-quarter revenue of US$3.34 billion, representing a 7% increase year-on-year and a 5% sequential rise. Management characterized the 2025 fiscal year as two distinct halves: initial demand weakness, followed by an acceleration in the second half. The company indicated that its performance in the latter part of the year has allowed it to return to its long-term financial model, leading to an optimistic outlook for 2026.
Samsung SDI, one of South Korea's three major battery makers, posted a steep operating loss in 2025 as the global market for electric vehicle batteries slumped. The company reported an operating loss of more than KRW1.7 trillion (US$1.17 billion) for the year. However, it is betting that a shift in strategy—anchored by local production of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries in the United States and an expansion of its energy storage systems business—will return it to profitability in 2026.
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