In the wake of the US government's decision to end electric vehicle (EV) tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) at the end of September 2025, Detroit automakers General Motors and Ford Motor Company sought to keep the US$7,500 incentive alive through their own financing arms—only to face swift political backlash that forced an abrupt reversal.
Tensions are flaring yet again between China and the US. China has reportedly made plans to impose export controls on certain lithium batteries, key anode and cathode materials, and manufacturing equipment starting November 8, 2025. If China enforces the controls, consumer electronics like notebooks will be significantly impacted. However, data center Battery Backup Unit (BBU) systems primarily use Japanese and Korean cells, making the impact there relatively limited.
On October 10, 2025, China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) officially launched an investigation into Qualcomm for allegedly violating China's Anti-Monopoly Law (AML) by failing to declare its acquisition of Autotalks. According to China Central Television (CCTV), Qualcomm completed the acquisition without submitting the required declaration or communicating with regulatory authorities.
When global automakers fled Russia in the wake of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Chinese car companies moved in with astonishing speed, flooding the market with affordable vehicles and quickly dominating the country's roads.
With electric vehicles (EVs) gaining momentum across Taiwan, the demand for charging infrastructure is rising rapidly. Yet payment systems for EV charging remain fragmented and inefficient, hindered by inconsistent hardware standards and cumbersome user experiences. Now, a familiar player in smart mobility is stepping in to change that.
Long known for its disruptive innovations in electric vehicles, Tesla is now undergoing a deeper transformation, one that extends far beyond cars. As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes industries and geopolitical tensions disrupt global supply chains, Tesla's recent move toward lower-priced EVs signals a broader organizational pivot: a long-term strategy that places AI, robotics, and semiconductor self-reliance at the core of its future.
A breakdown in the proposed partnership between Hon Hai Precision Industry (Foxconn) and Nissan Motor, regarding the automaker's Oppama plant in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, has been reported. According to Japanese media reports, Foxconn ended negotiations in mid-September 2025 due to Nissan's delayed and unclear responses, internal concerns about foreign investment cooperation, and a proposed asking price of JPY100 billion (US$653.87 million), significantly higher than market valuation.
Struggling with prolonged financial headwinds, Nissan Motor Co. has announced plans to shutter one of its core production sites, the Oppama plant, by March 2028. Talks to sell the facility to Taiwan's Foxconn, a major electronics and electric vehicle manufacturer, have collapsed after months of stalled negotiations.
LG Electronics has successfully entered the supply chains of eight out of the world's top 10 automakers, leveraging its automotive electronics and software-defined vehicle (SDV) solutions to expand its presence in the rapidly evolving auto industry.
Tesla has rolled out new, lower-cost versions of its two best-selling vehicles—the Model 3 and Model Y—under the "Standard" badge, both starting under US$40,000. While the move helps fill a gap left by delays to Tesla's next-generation vehicle platform, it also underscores a deeper strategic pivot: away from hardware-centric upgrades and toward an intensified focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics.
In recent years, China's traditional industries and those with lower technical barriers have faced intensifying competition, with bad money driving out good. This trend threatens long-term industrial development and competitiveness. Taiwan's industry value chains face similar challenges amid tariffs, exchange rates, and geopolitical risks, compounded by worsening competition among small and medium enterprises (SMEs). It is imperative to take action now to tackle the problem.
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