Taiwan

On April 30, ZF Friedrichshafen AG and Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn) completed the establishment of their joint venture (JV) in the field of passenger car chassis systems. It will be called ZF Foxconn Chassis Modules.

The acquisition of a 50% stake in ZF Chassis Modules GmbH by Foxconn achieves a 50-50 partnership, which was agreed upon on July 24, 2023. ZF Foxconn Chassis Modules GmbH supplies global premium and volume manufacturers and is represented at 25 locations worldwide. It employs approximately 3,800 people. The division's sales for 2023 amounted to roughly EUR 4.3 billion.

Through the partnership, ZF secures resources for profitable growth, new customer access, and additional development fields beyond the growing core market of axle system assembly. For Foxconn, the acquisition of a stake in ZF Chassis Modules GmbH, with a total enterprise value of around EUR 1 billion, opens up new perspectives in the automotive sector. 

Based on press release from ZF Friedrichshafen AG

On April 25, 2024, Ionex Energy announced the official launch of Aionex Co., Ltd. in Thailand, under the partnership with Arun Plus Co., Ltd. and KYMCO Group. The parties aim to strengthen Thailand’s electric motorcycle ecosystem and become a leading exporter of e-motorcycle technology to the ASEAN region.

The press conference announcing the opening of the HQ of Aionex Co., Ltd. in Thailand was held on April 23.  

The joint venture company was established by Thai PTT-owned Arun Plus, Kwang Yang Motor (KYMCO), and Kymco Capital (KC) (a subsidiary under KYMCO) to manufacture and distribute KYMCO electric motorcycles and provide battery swapping stations for electric motorcycles under the "Ionex" operating system platform in Thailand by 2024.

Aionex plans to launch its flagship store in Bangkok in July, along with introducing at least 4 models of KYMCO electric motorcycles in Thailand by 2024.  KYMCO is an internationally recognized motorcycle brand from Taiwan known for its quality and durability. 

Aionex will also introduce battery swapping services for e-motorcycles under the 'Ionex' smart platform in the form of a 'Battery as a Service (BaaS) Subscription Model,' offering monthly battery exchange services tailored to customers' usage patterns. 
Aionex Co., Ltd.’s “EV battery swapping station” project received approval for investment promotion from the Thai BOI on March 26, 2024.

(From Ionex Energy social media updates / Arun Plus release / Thailand's BOI release)

On April 17, Faraday Technology Corporation, a leading provider of ASIC design services and IP solutions, announced it is leveraging the latest Arm Automotive Enhanced (AE) technology, licensing the Cortex-A720AE IP to drive the development of AI-enabled vehicles ASICs (application-specific integrated circuit), with a focus on safety, efficiency, and quality.

By joining the Arm automotive ecosystem, Faraday continues to drive innovation by leveraging the first high-performance Armv9 A-class CPU for automotive, the Cortex-A720AE, to address the demands of software-defined vehicles. 

The company offers a comprehensive range of ASIC solutions, including total 3DIC packaging, Neoverse CSS design, FPGA-Go-ASIC, and design implementation services. Faraday not only has its IP portfolio but also possesses extensive expertise in IP integration, enabling the swift utilization of third-party IPs for SoC design. 

Based on Faraday Technology Corporation press release