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Sunday 27 April 2025
Shanghai Auto Show 2025: China’s supply chain takes center stage
The 2025 Shanghai Auto Show has commenced amid escalating global trade tensions, as newly imposed US tariffs pose significant challenges to China's automotive industry. Once a straightforward showcase for domestic brands, the exhibition has evolved into a critical vantage point for observing how China's auto supply chain is adapting and seeking new avenues for growth in an increasingly adverse environment.
Saturday 26 April 2025
Taiwanese EV charging firms shift focus from speed to smart infrastructure

As electric vehicle adoption steadily climbs across Taiwan, the role of charging infrastructure is undergoing a rapid transformation. Taiwanese charging station manufacturers, once locked in a battle of equipment specifications emphasizing "fast charging and high power," are now expanding their focus to encompass broader software integration, intelligent operations, and energy management systems.

Friday 25 April 2025
China's weaponizing of raw materials in tariff war could cripple US EV supply chain
US President Donald Trump has imposed several tariffs since taking office, resulting in retaliatory actions from several countries. The response from China has garnered the most attention, especially its export restrictions on key industrial raw materials, rare earth minerals, and magnets, which could significantly impact the fledgling electric vehicle (EV) supply chain in the US.
Thursday 24 April 2025
CATL to mass-produce first sodium-ion battery by year-end
At its April 21 Tech Day in Shanghai, CATL unveiled two major innovations poised to accelerate the EV transition past internal combustion engines. Highlights included the debut of CATL's second-generation Shenxing ultra-fast charging battery, outperforming BYD's Super e-Platform, and a strategic push to mass-produce sodium-ion batteries. These two technologies extend CATL's lead over BYD while positioning sodium-ion batteries as a safer, more affordable challenger to lithium's dominance in the EV supply chain.
Tuesday 22 April 2025
Toyota expands NEV presence in China with Lexus EV production based in Shanghai
On April 22, the Shanghai municipal government and Toyota officially held a strategic cooperation agreement signing ceremony, announcing that Toyota's wholly-owned Lexus battery electric vehicle (BEV) and battery R&D company will be established in Jinshan District, Shanghai. This signing marks an important step for Toyota's high-end new energy brand layout in China, which will help accelerate the upgrade of the new energy vehicle (NEV) industry in Shanghai and the Yangtze River Delta region.
Tuesday 22 April 2025
LG Energy Solution withdraws from US$8.45 billion EV battery project in Indonesia
According to Reuters and Yonhap, South Korea's LG Energy Solution announced on April 21, 2025, that it has formally withdrawn from a major US$8.45 billion electric vehicle battery development project in Indonesia, citing shifts in market conditions and the investment climate.
Tuesday 22 April 2025
CATL teases five-minute EV charge with longer range than BYD
Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd., the world's biggest producer of batteries for electric vehicles, unveiled the latest versions of its cells, playing up the durability and range of its products as the perceived limits of EVs still stop many consumers from making the switch.
Monday 21 April 2025
Gotion's US ambitions falter with the political pushback and industry headwinds

Gotion High-Tech, one of China's leading lithium battery manufacturers, has suspended operations at its Michigan factory, marking the latest setback in its troubled attempt to establish a foothold in the American electric vehicle supply chain.

Friday 18 April 2025
Trump orders national security probe into critical minerals, threatens higher manufacturing costs
The US President Donald Trump has initiated a national security investigation into imports of critical minerals and their downstream products, including semiconductor wafers, electric vehicles, smartphones, and other technologies. This move could potentially lead to new tariffs that would further increase manufacturing costs in the US.
Friday 18 April 2025
Beijing tightens grip on EV market with fire and safety concerns

In a decisive move to restore order in its rapidly evolving electric vehicle (EV) market, China's government has introduced a wave of new regulations targeting both the software and hardware sides of the industry. The crackdown spans exaggerated claims in autonomous driving and what experts are calling the country's most stringent lithium battery safety standards to date.

Thursday 17 April 2025
US factory setback for China's Gotion high-tech; will Taiwanese firms step in?

Gotion High-Tech, one of China's top lithium battery manufacturers, had positioned itself as a trailblazer among Chinese companies expanding into the US market. However, the company's foray into America has not been without hurdles. Recently, reports from international media revealed that operations at its US factory have been halted. In response, Gotion stated that its projects in Illinois are still progressing steadily.

Thursday 17 April 2025
XPeng launches self-developed AI chip in 2025 X9 model
On the evening of April 15, XPeng held a global strategic launch event in Hong Kong to announce its automotive strategy for the AI era and unveiled the 2025 XPeng X9. Chairman and CEO Xiaopeng He stated that the 2025 X9 sets a new benchmark for smart mobility with 496 technical upgrades and 35% new components.
Wednesday 16 April 2025
CATL posts 33% profit growth, downplays US tariff impact
CATL, China's dominant battery manufacturer, reported first quarter 2025 revenue of CNY84.7 billion (US$11.7 billion) with net profit reaching CNY14 billion, up 33% year-over-year. During its earnings call, the company minimized concerns about recently imposed US tariffs, citing limited exposure to the American market.
Tuesday 15 April 2025
CATL reports 33% jump in net income even as battery prices fall
Chinese battery-making giant Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. reported a 33% jump in first-quarter earnings, defying a slowdown in demand for electric vehicles and a drop in the prices of the cells that power them.
Monday 14 April 2025
San-Ti Group eyes green energy transition, expecting AI and semiconductor sectors to drive up electricity demand
Taiwan-based construction company San-Ti Group has achieved significant results for its diversification into the local energy market, with its subsidiaries, North-Star International and Santi Renewable Energy, benefiting from the rising popularity of vehicle electrification. As Taiwan increases investments in the AI and semiconductor sectors, the San-Ti Group is optimistic about industrial electricity demand.
Thursday 10 April 2025
Auto tariffs take effect, components supply chain hit hardest
The US government under President Donald Trump initiated a new round of trade protection policies on April 3, 2025, imposing a 25% tariff on all automobiles produced outside the US and planning to further expand this to the automotive component supply chain starting May 3, 2025. This move has triggered a ripple effect across the global automotive industry, with China, as a major hub for automotive components, being particularly affected.
Wednesday 9 April 2025
US launches first LFP battery pilot line amidst tariff tensions
In a strategic move amidst rising global trade tensions, the US has inaugurated its first lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pilot production line. This groundbreaking facility, a collaborative effort between Taiwan's Aleees and Israel's ICL Group, marks a significant step towards establishing domestic leadership in lithium battery materials.
Wednesday 9 April 2025
Taiwan Cement partners with three major players to form Europe's largest EV charging alliance
Taiwan Cement's (TCC) European subsidiary, Atlante, which focuses on energy storage and electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging services, has announced the establishment of Spark Alliance in collaboration with three leading charging service providers: France's Electra, the Netherlands' Fastned, and Germany's Ionity. This new alliance is currently the largest and most comprehensive EV charging station coalition in Europe.
Monday 7 April 2025
US tariffs on Chinese lithium battery materials create winners and losers in global supply chain
The US has intensified tariffs on Chinese lithium battery materials, beginning with the Inflation Reduction Act under the Biden administration and continuing with President Trump's reciprocal tariffs. With combined tax rates now exceeding 80% for Chinese exports to the US, the global supply chain landscape is shifting dramatically.
Friday 28 March 2025
From earbuds to energy: SYNergy powers into mid-size battery market, eyes solid-state by 2025
Taiwan's SYNergy ScienTech is expanding beyond small-format battery cells to enter the mid-to-large battery market, targeting applications above 700mAh. President Colin Hsieh said the company will debut new battery solutions at COMPUTEX and plans to unveil a solid-state battery prototype by the end of 2025.
Friday 28 March 2025
LG Energy Solution to supply 1GWh of ESS batteries for Poland's clean energy transition
LG Energy Solution (LGES) has signed a battery supply deal with Polish utility Polska Grupa Energetyczna (PGE) to deliver lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries for a 1GWh energy storage system (ESS) project in northern Poland. Scheduled to go online in 2027, the facility is designed to boost renewable energy integration and stabilize the local power grid.
Thursday 27 March 2025
Gogoro downplays differences with allied electric scooter makers over component purchases
Gogoro plays a key role in Taiwan's electric scooter market, with its PBGN (Powered by Gogoro Network) alliance allowing many scooter makers to transition from fuel to electric power. However, as electric scooter technology matures, some PBGN members reportedly have been asking Gogoro to ease control on component purchases.
Tuesday 25 March 2025
BYD sales top Tesla as tech focus wins over Chinese drivers
BYD Co's sales last year surpassed the US$100 billion mark, leapfrogging Elon Musk's Tesla Inc on revenue, as the Chinese auto giant wows consumers with a range of electric and hybrid cars packed with high-tech features.
Tuesday 25 March 2025
Hyundai commits US$21B to boost US production, supply chain, and future mobility
Hyundai Motor Group is making a bold US$21 billion bet on the US economy between 2025 and 2028, targeting key B2B sectors across manufacturing, supply chain logistics, steel production, and next-gen mobility technologies.
Tuesday 25 March 2025
European Commission probes Chinese subsidies behind BYD's US$4.3B Hungary EV plant
The European Commission has opened a preliminary investigation into whether Chinese electric vehicle (EV) giant BYD received unfair government subsidies for its planned factory in Hungary—highlighting rising trade and political tensions between Brussels and Beijing.