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Aug 12, 15:55
Aleees wins Tesla supply deal as new LFP plant eyes Tainan

Taiwanese lithium battery materials maker Aleees said it secured a 20-year supply contract with Tesla Inc. and plans to deliver at least 100,000 tons of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) precursor materials annually to support demand in the US market. The company is also searching for a new factory site, with Tainan emerging as the leading option.

Power Win Taiwan, Taiwan's largest waste battery processor, is seeing strong growth as rising electric vehicle adoption boosts demand for battery recycling, while recovering metal prices lift revenue from recycled materials.

Automotive parts makers are looking beyond cars as global demand shifts and AI infrastructure grows. Iron Force Industrial is joining that move by developing liquid-cooling components for AI servers, a shift that could open new markets for precision manufacturers worldwide. The company is seeking steadier growth despite persistent pressure in the automotive sector.
Hiroca Holdings reported consolidated revenue of NT$370 million (approx. US$11.5 million) for July, down 17.2% from the previous month and 16.7% from a year earlier. Consolidated revenue for the first seven months of 2026 reached NT$2.89 billion, down 2.07% year-over-year.
Apple's new product shipments are likely to be delayed, with supply chain sources saying a model originally slated for shipment in the fourth quarter of 2026 may slip to the first quarter of 2027. Apple is also expected to keep rolling out new OLED devices from late 2026 into early 2027.

Hotai Motor's all-round mobility services unit, Hotai Leasing, will officially launch its public listing on August 11. Hotai Leasing posted NT$2.7 billion (US$83.8 million) in consolidated revenue for July 2026, up 7.0% from the same period in 2025, reflecting strong profitability and a solid financial position.

Germany's car market posted only modest growth in July, but battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids surged as internal combustion engine sales fell sharply. The shift was driven in part by government subsidies, which have boosted demand for new energy vehicles and helped Chinese automakers gain ground in Europe's biggest auto market.

AI is moving from infotainment into steering, braking, and other core driving functions, raising safety questions that matter far beyond one market. Traditional testing rules are no longer enough, Irene Chuang, senior business manager for Industrial Services and Information Security at TÜV Rheinland Taiwan, said at a Taiwan industry forum, as regulators and automakers worldwide confront black-box AI risks in vehicles.

The global automobile industry has been at the cusp of a critical transition into electrification and smart technologies, and the focus of future competition in the industry will move beyond mere performance to software-hardware integration, smart applications, and the building of cross-industry ecosystems, according to Larry Chang, director of planning and research and head of automobile electrification outreach at the Mechanical and Mechatronics Systems Research Labs (MMSL) of the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI).
International smart vehicle rules are changing quickly, and the impact will reach automakers, suppliers, and drivers worldwide as approval moves beyond parts testing into software, cybersecurity, and full-system safety checks. The shift could raise compliance costs, but it may also accelerate the introduction of safer, more connected vehicles into global markets.

A South Korea-backed draft standard for software-defined vehicles (SDVs) has cleared a key milestone at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), giving automakers and suppliers a common technical reference as the industry shifts toward software-centric vehicle architectures.

China's auto exports climbed sharply in the first half of 2026 as the sector shifted from price-based competition to a focus on product value, according to the China Association of Automotive Manufacturers (CAAM).