US-based Onsemi seizes the business opportunity of smart mobility, stepping up investments in the silicon (Si), silicon carbide (SiC), and gallium nitride (GaN) process development. The semiconductor company last week announced its expansion of SiC production in the Czech Republic to supply EVs, renewable energy, and AI.

In-house production of lithium battery cells by some US-based manufacturers is not going as smoothly as expected due to delays in factory construction and manufacturing progress, according to related supply chain sources in the US.

Energy saving and carbon reduction are pivotal trends in today's automotive industry, encompassing both four-wheelers and two-wheelers. Ching-Yue Lee, senior project specialist in the Power and System Business Group at Delta Electronics, shared his insights on the impact and development trends of carbon neutrality on electric two-wheelers at the "D Forum 2024" smart vehicle forum hosted by DIGITIMES.

LG Energy Solution (LGES) has officially joined the development of semi- and all-solid-state batteries with a bipolar structure.

LG Electronics took another step forward to grow its EV charging business. The South Korean company has become a strategic partner of ChargePoint, a US-based EV charging solution provider. The pair will first collaborate on commercial EV charging in the US.

Chinese battery giants CATL and BYD continue to assert dominance in the global market.

After identifying 30 critical minerals essential for national security, India intensified its efforts to secure cobalt, given its increasing importance in the global shift towards EVs and green energy initiatives.

CATL, the world's largest EV battery maker, started building another production site in China on June 18.

South Korea and Japan remain leaders in all-solid-state battery development. However, as China is poised to invest heavily in battery technology, South Korean media are worried that Chinese manufacturers will disrupt the industry.

Cut-throat pricing competition in China's Electric Vehicle (EV) market has induced heavy losses in all sectors along the value chain, triggering a blame game among major players for the severe "involution" of the automotive industry.

Chinese battery makers CATL and Gotion High-Tech have dismissed US congressmen's accusations that forced labor is involved in their supply chains.

The US tightened the eligibility of EV incentives offered by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) at the beginning of 2024.

The adoption of battery swapping for Electric Vehicles (EVs) is creating new business opportunities in China, according to industry sources.

Automotive Cells Company (ACC), a battery maker backed by Stellantis and Mercedes-Benz, said it has paused plans for new factories in Germany and Italy. The France-headquartered company aims to put more resources into cheaper batteries before growing production.

The rapid growth of the global battery EV market ended in the second half of 2023.

The Chinese government will likely take action to retain the country's leading position in the battery sector. State-owned media reported that China may offer CNY6 billion (US$844 million) to six major battery and EV makers to facilitate all-solid-state battery R&D.

Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) and other Chinese Electric Vehicle (EV) battery providers are looking to accelerate production relocations in response to new tariffs imposed by the US, according to industry sources in China.

Battery maker LG Energy Solution will enhance its plant in Michigan to strengthen the facility's role as the mother factory in North America. The South Korean company is building another plant with General Motors in the same US state. The industry has been paying attention to whether the project will delay volume production or have a different focus.

Tesla no longer emphasizes a sales target of 20 million vehicles by the end of this decade as the company accelerates the development of autonomous driving, its 2023 impact report showed.

According to supply chain sources, automakers have taken three distinct approaches in the US in response to the market headwind.

The first group of China-made products that the US Biden administration targets will see their tariffs rise on August 1, 2024, according to an announcement from the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) on Wednesday. Some machinery for America's domestic manufacturing and solar production may be excluded temporarily.

As daily life and industrial development rely more and more on electricity, the global demand for the construction and updating of power infrastructure has also increased significantly.

Cheap electric vehicles from China are already pushing into Europe, undercutting one of the region's biggest industries. BYD Co., which overtook Tesla Inc. last year to become the biggest global EV maker, is about to raise the stakes.
The Chinese manufacturer last month announced plans to introduce its Seagull hatchback in Europe next year, which offers premium features like cruise control and wireless phone charging but sells for less than $10,000 in China. Even after tariffs and modifications to meet European standards, BYD executives have pledged to sell the Seagull for less than €20,000 ($21,500) on the continent.

LG Energy Solution has been progressing in the development of the 46800 battery.

Demand for battery EVs has faced challenges since the second half of 2023. Sales volume has sagged this year, especially in Europe and the US, the world's second and third-largest automotive markets.