【4.1 Lithium Battery News】The Passenger Car Association predicted that the increase in US tariffs would provide greater development space for Chinese EVs overseas.

US and Canada Auto Sales May Drop by 1.8 Million Units Due to Trade WarAuto sales in the US and Canada may drop by 1.8 million units this year due to the trade war. Detroit-based automotive consulting firm Telemetry predicts that if the global trade war escalates further, auto sales in the US and Canada could decrease by 1.8 million units this year and may even stagnate over the next decade.

Kia Lowers 2030 EV Sales TargetKia Motors announced on April 9 that it has lowered its 2030 EV sales target, aiming to sell 4.19 million vehicles by 2030, including 1.26 million EVs and nearly 1 million hybrid vehicles. Previously, Kia's target was to sell 1.6 million EVs and 882,000 hybrid vehicles by 2030.

Institution: Japan's Auto Exports to US Market May Lose $17 BillionThe International Trade Centre, a UN trade agency, stated that Japan's auto exports to the US market may lose $17 billion due to the US imposing a 25% tariff on imported vehicles. (Cailian Press)

Cui Dongshu, Secretary General of CPCA: US Tariff Hike to Provide Greater Development Space for Chinese EVs OverseasCui Dongshu, Secretary General of the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), stated today that the US tariff hike will provide greater development space for Chinese EVs in overseas markets. "In the past, Chinese cars faced a complex environment in overseas markets, but now the world trade order is showing a multipolar development trend, which has brought relatively independent development space for Chinese cars in various countries." Cui Dongshu believes that there will be better opportunities, especially in intelligent electrification. "The core of intelligent electrification is electrification, and the core of electrification is the industry chain. China has a huge advantage in the electrification industry chain. We believe that in the future, we should strive to develop small and micro EVs and plug-in hybrid models to achieve our expansion in overseas markets."

Battery Cells Face Structural Shortage, ESS Industry Welcomes Supply-Demand ReversalSince the beginning of this year, the global ESS battery cell market has seen significant changes in the supply-demand pattern. Production lines of several leading battery manufacturers are almost fully operational. Recently, a leading ESS integrator provided feedback to reporters: "According to our procurement department, there is indeed a phenomenon of urging battery cell manufacturers for delivery, mainly because many of our ESS orders are concentrated for delivery in April and May." Industry insiders believe that driven by policies, the explosion of emerging market demand, and the surge in demand for computing infrastructure, the supply-demand mismatch of battery cells has shifted to local shortages, and the ESS industry is ushering in a new development cycle amid the supply-demand reversal.

Ganfeng Lithium: Company Makes Multiple Breakthroughs in Solid-State Battery R&DGanfeng Lithium (002460.SZ) announced that the company has made significant progress in materials, battery cells, system integration, and commercial applications of solid-state batteries. The company has established a full-chain layout for solid-state batteries, with R&D and production capabilities, and is accelerating the commercialization of solid-state batteries. In terms of technological breakthroughs, the company is simultaneously advancing silicon-based and lithium metal anode routes to overcome industrial barriers and promote the mass production of high-specific-energy batteries. In terms of multi-scenario applications, the company is gradually improving the integrated layout of solid-state batteries and actively promoting the commercialization process. In the NEV field, the company has signed a joint development agreement with a leading international automaker; in the low-altitude economy field, it has launched a solid-state battery solution adapted to low-altitude flight scenarios; in the consumer electronics field, the company's high-safety, low-temperature-resistant solid-state lithium batteries have achieved new breakthroughs and have been sent in batches for verification to internationally renowned mobile phone companies.