For years, the global EV industry has been characterized by a persistent trend to diversify its manufacturing footprint beyond China. As automotive manufacturers struggle to survive the procurement battle, the fault lines stemming from a concentrated market have proved difficult to escape, with critical battery materials remaining overwhelmingly concentrated among Chinese suppliers.
Taiwan's auto industry is watching closely as tariff talks between Taiwan and the US continue to shape the sector's outlook. PG Union CEO Ray Wu said in an interview on September 21 that the two sides are still negotiating the new policy, and the process must clear three hurdles before it can take effect.
Chinese EV maker Xpeng is planning to offer its technology to foreign automakers beyond Volkswagen, according to people familiar with the matter, as technology licensing emerges as a new revenue engine for the company.
China's auto industry is increasingly relying on exports to sustain growth as domestic demand remains weak, industry sources said, ahead of a possible visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to the US for a summit with US President Donald Trump. Online reports that Beijing may include BYD in a business delegation have fueled speculation the EV maker could use the trip to ease trade frictions and protect overseas momentum.
Foxconn is expanding its global electric vehicle footprint through partnerships with German commercial vehicle brand Quantron and intelligent driving technology company HyperView. The group will serve as the industrial manufacturing partner for Quantron China's truck and bus platforms, producing next-generation zero-emission commercial vehicles for international markets.
BYD is planning four factories in Europe over the long term as it works to meet local manufacturing rules and expand its customer base. The Chinese electric vehicle maker wants three vehicle assembly plants and one EV battery plant, according to company adviser and former Fiat Chrysler executive Alfredo Altavilla.
German commercial vehicle company Quantron and China's Hongjing Drive have formally agreed to establish a joint venture, Quantron China, to develop a China-Europe technology and industrial platform for next-generation zero-emission commercial vehicles. Foxconn will serve as the industrial manufacturing partner for truck and bus platforms, supporting their international deployment.
Thailand is preparing to abandon the subsidy-led policy that made it Southeast Asia's fastest-growing electric vehicle market, replacing it with a tax structure built to penalize carmakers that import rather than build. Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas said the excise tax on fully imported EVs could rise to around 30%, from 10% today — the first time the government has attached a number to the levy.
Japanese autonomous driving developer Tier IV is developing an AI chip and will release its chip design and related toolchain as open source, allowing semiconductor manufacturers to use them to develop autonomous driving chips. The company aims to break Nvidia's dominant position in the autonomous driving chip market.
