Tesla CEO Elon Musk has amplified recruitment of South Korean semiconductor talent via social media, deepening competition for engineers as global tech firms increasingly target the country's skilled workforce.
According to various foreign media reports, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo Cars, and Stellantis NV have renewed evaluation, research, and investment in sodium-ion batteries, a technology earlier sidelined due to weight and energy-density limitations.
Uber Technologies Inc. announced on February 18, 2026, that it will invest more than US$100 million to develop specialized charging infrastructure for autonomous vehicles (AVs), marking a significant pivot as the company moves to own physical assets and secure its robotaxi future.
The European Union is preparing a structural shift in industrial policy, linking electric vehicle subsidies and public procurement to binding "Made in Europe" content rules that would reshape automotive supply chains.
The European Commission officially introduced a minimum price commitment mechanism in mid-January 2026 for imports of battery electric vehicles (BEV) from China to Europe, as an alternative to punitive tariffs of up to 35%.
China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) issued a set of guidelines on February 12 aimed at regulating pricing throughout the automotive production process, as part of the government's efforts to curb destructive price slashing in the electric vehicle (EV) market.
One of the biggest stories in Taiwan's auto market toward the end of 2025 is Foxtron's official announcement to acquire 100% of Luxgen, with the deal expected to close in the first quarter of 2026. This move marks Foxtron's shift from solely product design and development toward vertical integration, gaining full control over its brand and distribution channels—the critical "export gateway."
Stellantis NV has officially abandoned plans to build two lithium battery gigafactories in Kaiserslautern, Germany, and Termoli, Italy, the company's CEO, Antonio Filosa, said, following a EUR2.1 billion (US$2.49 billion) asset impairment tied to its ACC joint venture with TotalEnergies and Mercedes‑Benz.
Taiwan and the US concluded an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) that will reduce tariffs on US-manufactured passenger cars to zero, the Executive Yuan said on February 13. Mercedes‑Benz Taiwan announced price reductions for five US-produced models in line with the agreement.
Tesla Taiwan reiterated that prices for models imported from the US will not be adjusted until Taiwanese government regulations are clarified and confirmed. It said there are no current plans to move production for Germany-imported models.
Taiwan's Executive Yuan announced that US-made vehicles will face zero tariffs and no import quantity restrictions after a trade agreement with the US. Automotive industry representatives warned that the move will create opportunities for imports while posing challenges for domestically produced and European-spec models.
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