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Feb 11, 11:55
Exclusive: Taiwan weighs auto tariff cuts in talks with industry leaders
Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs convened a closed-door meeting with leading domestic automakers on February 10, 2026, signaling that potential tariff changes on imported vehicles — particularly from the United States — may be imminent.
Renesas Electronics recorded its first net loss in six years in fiscal 2025, reflecting weak demand for automotive semiconductors and a limited contribution from AI-related products. The company is recalibrating its strategy, with India and China positioned as key pillars in its recovery roadmap.

Onsemi's revenue declined in the fourth quarter as its two largest business units continued to post year-over-year sales declines, highlighting persistent weakness across key parts of its portfolio.

Power semiconductor maker Panjit International is positioning itself to capitalize on the booming demand from AI data centers, targeting fast growth in AI, cooling, and power supply markets. The company expects shipments of its hot-swap products to surge in 2026, with AI-related products accounting for up to 15% of sales this year. Currently, Panjit has secured design wins with two major cloud service providers (CSPs), and is seeking to win orders from additional customers while laying out plans for next-generation hot-swap technology.
Onsemi reported steady fourth-quarter results for 2025, supported by disciplined execution and record free cash flow generation, while management signaled improving stability across key end markets even as near-term recovery expectations remain measured.
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.

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.

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.