TrendForce anticipates that by 2026, the global tally of public charging stations will soar to 16 million, marking an impressive threefold increase from 2023 figures. As this unfolds, the global ownership of NEVs—which includes both PHEVs and BEVs—will surge to 96 million. This sets the vehicle-to-charger ratio at 6:1, a significant drop from the 10:1 ratio observed in 2021. Notably, major players like China are paving the way; having set ambitious goals to achieve a vehicle-to-charger ratio of 2:1 by 2030, China is unquestionably a driving force in the global push to reduce this ratio.

Europe is steaming ahead with its net-zero blueprint, targeting the construction of a whopping 17 million charging stations by 2030. America, though, presents a contrasting picture. With a little over 200,000 charging stations currently, the Biden administration aspires to hit the 500,000 mark by 2026. Unfortunately, this will coincide with a projected NEV count of 15 million, exacerbating the vehicle-to-charger ratio to 32:1 Around the same period, Europe and China are projected to sport more modest ratios of approximately 9:1 and 4:1, respectively. Using Europe’s ratio as a yardstick, the US charging infrastructure ambition may need to be bolstered by at least three to four times.

NEV owners globally grapple with a maze of charging standards. Prominent among these are the US standard CCS1 (Combo), the European standard CCS2 (Combo), Japan’s CHAdeMO, China’s GB/T, and Tesla’s NACS standard. Europe and China offer a simpler scenario for their citizens by adhering to a single domestic standard. In contrast, the US is a battleground, with both CCS1 and NACS standards vying for dominance. While adapters provide a temporary bridge between the two, the rapid rise of NACS kindles apprehension among CCS1 aficionados about their future stake.

A diverse array of charging standards across the globe means charging equipment manufacturers must adopt flexible product strategies to cater to different market specifications. Spotlighting Taiwanese firms: Hotron Precision’s charging cables, Longwell’s and SINBOS’s integrated charging systems are all laying tracks across GB/T, CCS1, and CCS2 standards. A feather in the cap for Hotron Precision is its induction into Tesla’s supply chain, while Longwell and SINBON primarily cater to North American charging enterprises. Riding the wave, following proclamations by giants like Ford, GM, and Volvo favoring the NACS standard in North America, charging station behemoths like Zerova and LITEON have thrown their hats into the NACS ring.

From 2025, the landscape will shift dramatically as countries step on the gas to phase out gasoline-fueled vehicles. While the ramp-up of charging station infrastructure still lags, auto giants are bracing themselves to spearhead the charging station market boom. Case in point: Titans like GM, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, HONDA, Hyundai-Kia, and Stellantis are joining forces to spin off dedicated charging infrastructure companies. Furthermore, TrendForce offers a nugget of advice for Taiwanese manufacturers: to stay ahead of the curve and serve North American clientele more effectively, consider setting up shop locally. With Pegatron and Delta Electronics already marking their territory in Texas, the focus for Taiwanese firms should be on nimbleness and adaptability, ensuring they remain unshackled by a single standard.

Report to InfoTimes, Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD is making impressive strides in Southeast Asia, not only leaving strong rivals like Tesla far behind but also dominating the market share in the region. Currently, in the local market, at least one out of every four electric vehicles is a BYD.

Industry analysts point out that BYD’s competitive advantage lies in its affordability and high value for money. Early on, the company partnered with large enterprises and conglomerates in Southeast Asia, adopting a distribution model to sell its vehicles. This approach allowed BYD to gradually expand its influence, understand the preferences of Southeast Asian car owners, and navigate the complex local regulations without running afoul of them.

According to TrendForce, in Q2, BEVs alone posted sales of 2.151 million units, marking 39.3% growth YoY. While Tesla maintains the lead with a market share of 21.7%, but BYD trails closely behind with a boosted share of 16.2%. In PHEVs, with the registering sales of 876,000 units in Q2—a striking 52.9% YoY increase. Astonishingly, about 66% of these sales hailed from the Chinese market. In this segment, BYD continued its lead with a whopping 36.5% market share.

In fact, this sales model is not something BYD pioneered. Japanese automakers employed a similar strategy decades ago when entering Southeast Asia. Collaborating with local businesses in a united front, as opposed to competing directly with Tesla, set BYD’s marketing approach apart.

Data reveals that BYD has forged partnerships with various Southeast Asian entities, including Sime Darby, a conglomerate with over a century of history in Malaysia and Singapore, Bakrie & Brothers in Indonesia, Ayala, a renowned conglomerate in the Philippines, and Rever Automotive in Thailand.

Automobile sales consultancy firm Urban Science believes that BYD’s collaboration with prominent local conglomerates helps establish a stable foothold before gaining fame. When Southeast Asian consumers have reservations about Chinese-made cars, knowing that well-known large corporations are involved should provide reassurance, particularly in terms of after-sales service.

Recently, BYD has invested nearly $500 million in building a new factory in Thailand. Starting in 2024, it aims to produce 150,000 electric vehicles annually and export them to various Southeast Asian and European countries. AC Motors, a subsidiary of the Philippines’ Ayala Group, plans to establish more than ten BYD service centers in the Philippines within the next 12 months.

AC Motors emphasizes that the initial focus of its operations is on building brand confidence and encouraging more people to consider buying electric vehicles. Some individuals may have concerns about running out of power with electric cars or find their prices too high.

Currently, Tesla has only opened two stores in Singapore, which caters to a higher-income demographic. However, Tesla is also actively recruiting in Thailand and Malaysia. Leveraging Elon Musk’s personal global influence, Tesla can operate directly toward consumers after leaving the United States, a strategy that sets it apart from other automakers.

To increase its visibility, BYD has partnered with Sime Darby Group to launch five BYD by 1826 centers in Singapore, combining car showrooms with delicious restaurants. This innovative approach aims to attract more people to discover the BYD brand through fine dining and, in turn, become part of BYD’s growing community of car owners. (Image credit: BYD)

(Source: https://www.chinatimes.com/cn/realtimenews/20230919001709-260410?chdtv)

Report to China Times, due to the declining cost of batteries, by 2024, the prices of electric vehicles (EVs) in Europe will be on par with those of gasoline-powered cars, while the American market will have to wait until 2026. Furthermore, it’s projected that by 2030, two-thirds of all cars sold globally will be electric vehicles.

A report released on the 14th by the non-profit organization Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) predicts that battery costs will be cut in half over the next decade. This reduction will bring the cost of batteries down from $151 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in 2022 to a range between USD 60~90.

According to TrendForce, in 1H23, the total sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs, including BEV, PHEV, FCEV), including pure electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, reached 5.462 million units, by YoY of 33.6%. Specifically, NEV sales in the second quarter amounted to 3.03 million units, up 42.8% YoY, and accounting for 14.4% of the overall automobile sales in the second quarter.

Price-wise, TrendForce believes that when the cost of pure electric cars falls below approximately USD100 per kWh, there will be an opportunity to compete with gasoline cars.

By 2030, electric vehicle prices will finally match those of gasoline cars. The high cost of EV batteries, which accounts for approximately 40% of the price of electric cars, has been a barrier preventing many consumers from affording electric vehicles. RMI points out that automakers are investing in the development of new battery chemistries, materials, and software to improve electric vehicle efficiency, gradually driving down both battery and electric vehicle prices. RMI analysts suggest that as electric vehicles rapidly grow in popularity in Europe and China, EV sales could increase at least six times by 2030, with a global market share of 62~86%.

(Source: https://www.ctee.com.tw/news/20230915700374-430704)

In parallel with AI and IoT, quantum technology stands as one of the three engines driving humanity’s Fourth Industrial Revolution. With the potential to reshape our daily lives, quantum technology and its applications have not only garnered worldwide attention but also become a focal point in the development strategies of advanced nations. Supported by the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) of Taiwan, the Center for Quantum Frontiers of Research and Technology (QFort) at National Cheng-Kung University (NCKU) has chosen Amazon Braket from Amazon Web Services (AWS) as its primary computing platform. Amazon Braket is a unique quantum cloud service platform that can bolster QFort’s integrated research on quantum theory, materials, components, and computing equipment. …

• The continuous AI integration of smart homes accelerates with the Matter protocol.

In the context of the modern era, smart homes are the AI applications that come second only to smartphones and smartwatches. As the penetration rate of smart home devices increases, more and more AI-enabled devices are permeating into human life, ushering in a large-scale era of personalization. The realization of smart homes not only requires smart appliances but also sensors and energy management systems. The deployment of AI will enhance recognition and control.

The diverse application scenarios of smart homes result in a wide variety of products. Despite the vast market size, there is an issue of product ecosystem fragmentation, leading to slow deployment. This can be addressed through the integration of the smart home market via the Matter protocol. As Matter facilitates communication between different devices through software protocols, the importance of software in devices will increase with the product’s AI capabilities, catering to the demands of edge AI applications.

• The RISC-V architecture is on the rise, and the form of MCUs with NPUs will continue to proliferate.

Although CPUs in MCUs are currently dominated by the Arm architecture, open-source RISC-V is gradually rising. In addition to its features such as customization, modularity, and cost-effectiveness, RISC-V is expected to become one of the advantages in smart home applications. It continues to gain support and application from many major manufacturers, expanding the ecosystem of the RISC-V architecture.

Because TinyML models are much smaller than general-purpose AI, they do not require a large amount of computational resources for deployment. This makes them suitable for IoT devices or smart homes that require large-scale deployment, with significant advantages in both technology and cost. Furthermore, with the diverse range of products in smart homes and the increasing demand for product functionality, the form of MCUs equipped with NPUs will become increasingly common as they adapt to the product’s uniqueness and evolve with AI integration.