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Jul 23, 15:10
Tesla confirms equipment orders for TeraFab, targets in-house chip production to break supply bottleneck
Tesla has placed equipment orders for an in-house semiconductor development facility in Austin it calls TeraFab, CEO Elon Musk confirmed during the company's Q2 2026 earnings call on July 22, marking a significant step toward chip self-sufficiency.

BMW Group has appointed Benjamin Nagel as managing director of BMW Group's importer markets in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, effective Sept. 1, 2026. He will succeed Raymond Tan Chor Ann, who will become managing director and CEO of BMW Group Malaysia.

Mobileye said in a press release on July 21 that its cloud-enhanced advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) technology will be integrated into select future Stellantis vehicles launching in 2027, expanding the companies' collaboration on next-generation driver assistance features.

Xpeng is transforming into a physical AI supplier over the next 10 years, with robotaxi, humanoid robots, and flying cars as its three core product lines, chairman Xiaopeng He told Automotive News. The company also aims to move beyond the carmaker label and adopt a Tier 1 supplier model, working with operating partners around the world to build a business model that can be replicated globally.

Sumitomo Chemical plans to begin mass production of a halide-based solid electrolyte in Japan as early as fiscal 2028, positioning the material as a potentially lower-cost option for all-solid-state batteries while seeking performance comparable with leading sulfide-based electrolytes, Nikkei reported.

China is dismantling the tax shelter that helped build the world's largest battery industry, and the move looks less like a one-off revenue measure than the opening of a broad campaign to force consolidation across its clean-energy supply chains — with consequences that reach from Chinese carmakers to global energy-storage buyers.

Foxconn group's EV strategy chief Jun Seki said on July 21 in Tokyo that Level 4 (L4) and above autonomous driving will likely be installed in 80% of new cars by 2040, and that the rise of self-driving technology will result in fewer automakers building vehicles in-house. Speaking at GDS 2026, he also forecast major cost declines and a structural shift in the auto industry as EVs become more closely aligned with autonomy.
Rumors of a possible zero-tariff deal for US-made cars in Taiwan have kept buyers and dealers in wait-and-see mode for months, with pricing and sales plans for imported vehicles still unresolved. The standoff has also created a potential opening for domestic automakers as consumers delay replacement purchases.
Taiwan's new-car market showed signs of recovery in the first half of 2026, with June sales rising more than 20% year on year and monthly volume returning to the level seen in the same period of 2024. Domestic automakers said the market was moving back onto a growth track as the second half of 2026 began, helped by stronger promotions, several mainstream SUV launches and a softer impact from tariff concerns.
Tesla's humanoid robot Optimus is set to begin mass production at the end of July, according to supply chain sources. Tesla previously retooled an electric vehicle production line in just 46 days to support the new robot, underscoring how seriously it views humanoid robots as a key growth direction.
Electric scooters have been traversing a bumpy road in Taiwan, with sales numbers tied to government subsidies, and cost measures squeezing margins for brands and suppliers alike. These tough conditions have led many to fade away from the market, as they seek to cut losses by postponing the launch of new models. However, brands focusing solely on electric scooters must launch new products to sustain market attention, cash flow, and investor confidence.
Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Li Auto has established a new subsidiary focused on IC chip design, underscoring its long-term strategy of developing core AI technologies in-house.