【4.23 Lithium Battery News】US ITC Issues Final Determination on Section 337 Investigation of Rechargeable Batteries and Their Components

The 2025 (10th) New Energy Industry Expo Successfully Concluded! Industry Leaders Gathered to Discuss Hot Topics!

[CPCA: AEB Installation Rate in the Passenger NEV Market Reached 62.9%] The China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) released the February 2025 Intelligent Connected Vehicle Insight Report. The report indicated that the overall AEB installation rate performed well from January to February, with the overall installation rate for passenger vehicles reaching 56.5%, and the proportion of passenger vehicles priced at 160,000-240,000 yuan reaching 70.2%. There is still room for growth. The AEB installation rate in the passenger NEV market has reached 62.9%. On one hand, the installation rate is growing rapidly; on the other hand, the strict triggering conditions of the AEB function may lead to its failure, as recent incidents involving some companies have highlighted certain defects in the current AEB function. The MIIT recently required automakers to strictly prohibit exaggerated claims about intelligent driving in a meeting, marking the official entry of the intelligent driving industry into an era of "strong regulation."

[Suppliers "In Trouble": US Auto Industry Writes to Trump Administration] Six organizations representing the US auto industry urged the Trump administration in a letter to government officials not to impose a 25% tariff on auto parts set to take effect on May 3, stating that it could jeopardize US auto production. The letter pointed out that many auto suppliers are already "in trouble" and cannot afford additional cost increases, which could lead to broader industry issues. The letter was signed by leaders of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, the American International Automobile Dealers Association, the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association, the Original Equipment Suppliers Association, the National Automobile Dealers Association, and the American Automotive Policy Council, and was addressed to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and US Trade Representative Ambassador Jamison Greer.

[South Korea’s Industry Minister: Will Discuss Trade Imbalance with US Counterparts] South Korea’s Industry Minister stated that he will discuss trade imbalance issues with US counterparts; will make every effort to quickly find a solution to the US auto tariff issue; defense costs may become part of the discussion, and they are prepared for it.

[NIO CEO: Pure EVs Are the Ultimate Solution] NIO’s CEO stated that he is confident that pure EVs are the ultimate solution as battery costs decline and charging and battery swap infrastructure expands.

[US ITC Issues Final Determination on Section 337 Investigation of Rechargeable Batteries and Components] The US International Trade Commission (ITC) announced on April 21 that it issued a final determination on the Section 337 investigation of certain rechargeable batteries and components (Investigation No. 337-TA-1421): it will not review the initial determination (No. 19) made by the administrative law judge on March 21, 2025, and based on the settlement, the investigation against the listed respondents, Dragonfly Energy Corp. of Reno, NV, and Dragonfly Energy Holdings Corp. of Reno, NV, is terminated. (Cailian Press)

[CPCA: Tariff Hike Will Further Accelerate Localization of Auto Chips] The China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) released the February 2025 Intelligent Connected Vehicle Insight Report, which pointed out that after the chip shortage in 2021, many domestic automakers have started using self-developed chip products. Currently, the localization rate of all chips in China is roughly 20%, with state-owned automakers achieving a higher localization rate. The tariff hike will further accelerate the localization process of auto chips, with analog chips being replaced faster, while digital chips are still dominated by foreign companies.