Tesla opened Taiwan's largest V4 Supercharger station on Tuesday, expanding its fast-charging network even as questions linger over potential tariff changes and vehicle sourcing.
As US automakers scale back their electric vehicle (EV) ambitions, Chinese manufacturers are pressing ahead, leveraging technological and structural advantages to expand rapidly across global markets. Industry analysts warn that the retreat by US carmakers could place the American auto industry in what some describe as an unprecedented "existential crisis."
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.
After the United States formally imposed a 15 percent import tariff on European automobiles, Germany's three largest carmakers—Volkswagen, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz—have found themselves forced to navigate a difficult trade-off between brand identity and geopolitical reality. Facing the same policy shock, the three companies have responded in markedly different ways, offering a revealing case study for global automakers and supply chains grappling with a more protectionist era.
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.
After Huawei transferred the "Aito" brand and related patents to Seres for CNY2.5 billion (approx. US$359 million), Seres has rapidly consolidated its position in China's fast-growing new-energy vehicle (NEV) market. While Huawei no longer owns the brand, it continues to provide Seres with technical and marketing support, including smart cockpit systems and advanced driver-assistance technologies.
