Days after reports emerged that TSMC was reassessing plans for a wafer fab in Texas, Tim Culpan, a former Bloomberg columnist and founder of independent media outlet Culpium, disclosed that the chipmaker is in discussions with Elon Musk's Terafab over potential cooperation.

Global electric vehicle (EV) sales have moved beyond the hypergrowth stage and entered a period of consolidation, with year-over-year growth slowing to just 2% in the first half of 2026 after gains of roughly 25% in both 2024 and 2025. Overseas expansion, new-model launches and product-mix strategies are emerging as three key factors determining automakers' performance.

General Motors (GM) and Ford Motor are deepening their smart vehicle strategies with support from Silicon Valley technology companies, tapping AI, cloud, and computing capabilities from Google and Nvidia to accelerate vehicle software development, according to DIGITIMES. While the two US automakers are taking different approaches, both are seeking to strengthen their software-defined vehicle (SDV) technology, smart cockpits, and advanced driving capabilities.

Lite-On Technology is stepping up its strategic investment in server hardware manufacturing and electric vehicle (EV) charging software integration to support overall revenue growth. On October 2, the company announced that its board approved a capital expenditure plan to expand capacity at its Kaohsiung branch in southern Taiwan. Its wholly owned US subsidiary Leotek Electronics also announced the acquisition of California-based EV charging software provider AmpUp through a reverse triangular merger.

Tesla ranked first in Taiwan's new-car registrations in September and said it is continuing the approval process for its Full Self-Driving (Supervised), or FSD (S), driver-assistance system. The automaker also presented a road-test framework at a technical review meeting as it works with government agencies and academic experts.

For years, automakers have grappled with an underlying paradox stemming from persistent EV raw-material pressures, as supply chains worldwide have been constrained by a familiar battery-chemistry trade-off: cost-effectiveness versus high-performance density.

Stellantis said it will suspend operations at four auto assembly plants in France in October, citing shortages of long-range electric vehicle batteries and the need to control dealer inventories. The cuts come as the automaker adjusts output to match demand, with strong orders for EVs that use longer-range batteries continuing to outpace supply.

Japanese motor and electronic components maker Nidec said on September 30 that its long-delayed consolidated financial report for fiscal year 2025 (from April 2025 to March 2026) showed losses from accounting irregularities of JPY632.1 billion (US$3.99 billion), far above earlier estimates. Uncertainty over the company's turnaround also deepened after auditors declined to issue an opinion.

Auto components maker Hiroca posted a pre-tax loss of NT$146 million (US$4.57 million) in the first half of 2026, owing to weak demand in China's auto market and a number of one-time factors. However, during its earnings call on October 1, the company stressed that gross margin remained at a healthy 23–24%, and that most losses will be absorbed by the end of 2026, leaving no drag on earnings in 2027.

China's state-owned FAW and GAC's controlling shareholder, Guangzhou Automobile Industry Group, have signed a strategic cooperation framework that could reshape Toyota's long-standing two-joint-venture model in the country. The move reflects Beijing's push for industrial consolidation, while global automakers watch for wider implications for capacity, assets, and competition in China's fast-changing auto market.

Hiroca said two major Chinese automakers are likely to build factories in the US, a move that could redraw supply chains across North America, alter supplier demand patterns, and deepen pressure on parts makers already facing tighter pricing, faster product cycles, and weaker visibility in China's increasingly competitive auto market.