Electronics Supply Chain Weekly Digest 4-12-24.
DATAPOINT OF THE WEEK: Auto passenger retail sales in China returned to growth in March, increasing 6.3% Y/Y, though the pace of expansion slowed compared to the trend from the 2H23, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).
NEV retail sales in March totaled 710k, ahead of the preliminary CPCA estimate of 698K, but below the 750K estimate at the end of last month. NEV units increased 31% Y/Y driven by a 76% increase in PHEV while BEV sales slowed to +11% Y/Y.
For the first quarter, total passenger vehicle sales increased 13%, NEV +35%, BEVs +15%, and PHEV +76% respectively. China exported 424K vehicles in March including 124k NEVs reflecting a 39% and 52% Y/Y increase respectively.
Headlines:
Auto
- BMW 1Q deliveries increased 1% Y/Y globally; EV sales up 28% Y/Y
- China EV export demand fuels surge in demand for new car-carrying ships
- China has been closing idled auto output capacity, industry body says
- China’s Chery nearing deal to manufacture cars in Spain
- EV sales growth in the US slows to 2.6% in 1Q according to Cox Automotive
- Chinese EV brand Hyper says will use all-solid-state batteries in its cars in 2026
- Ford said to drop agency retail model in Europe
- Ford cuts prices for F-150 Lightning XLT, Flash and Lariat variants
- Germany new car sales declined 6.2% Y/Y in March with xEV sales down 22% Y/Y
- Lucid beats first-quarter delivery estimates as price cuts boost demand
- Mercedes-Benz Q1 sales drop 6% in 1Q on supply bottlenecks in Asia; EV sales down 9%
- Tesla deliveries from its Shanghai factory were flat in March with 120% increase in exports offset by 19% decline in shipments for China consumption
- Tesla slashes US prices for Model Y in inventory
- VW 1Q deliveries increased 3% Y/Y globally with ICE up 4% and EV units down 3.3% Y/Y
- VW committing $2.7B in new investment in Hefei, China to accelerate its EV rollout
- Stellantis CEO warns of plant closures if Italy gets Chinese EV factory
Datacenter
- Microsoft to invest US$2.9 billion to boost AI business in Japan
- Google announced a set of nex gen internally developed CPU and AI TPU
- Meta announced its 2nd generation of internally developed AI chip
Semiconductors
- Intel confirms new round of layoffs in its Sales and Marketing Group
- Intel announced its 3rd generation of AI accelerator
- Infineon and Amkor announced an extended partnership to operate back-end facility in Europe
- Microchip has expanded its supply agreement with TSMC for 40nm production in Japan
- Microchip acquires ADAS and Digital Cockpit Connectivity specialist VSI
- Micron said Taiwan earthquake to reduce its DRAM supply by mid-single digits for a quarter
- Renesas restarts 9 year dormant plant to meet power chip demand
- Global semi sales increased 16% Y/Y in Feb according to SIA
- Most wafer foundries with minimal impact from Taiwan earthquake says TrendForce
- Semi equipment billings declined 1% in 2023 says SEMI
- SK Hynix to invest $4B in back-end facility in Indiana
- Skywater cancels plans to build $2B fab and R&D facility near Purdue
- TSMC wins $6.6B US subsidies; TSMC to add third fab by 2030
- TSMC likely to raise 5/3nm prices on strong demand
- TSMC 1Q sales beat expectations increasing 16.5% Y/Y
- EU and US extend China chip ‘watch’ agreement by 3 years
- China to become the largest source of IC wafer capacity by 2026
- China tells Telco carries to phase out foreign chips by 2027
Other
- Apple to launch new iPad Pro and iPad Aid in May
- IDC says PC sales returned to modest growth for the first time in two years
- WT Miroelectronics completes the acquisition of Future Electronics
- According to Taiwan media Apple and Samsung have officially lowered their 2024 smartphone shipment forecasts