Summary: Tesla executives have stated that U.S. tariffs have had a "disproportionate impact" on the company's energy business, and therefore, the company is seeking suppliers outside of China.
(Text / Observer Network, Zhou Shengming; Editor / Gao Xin)
According to Reuters on November 4, Samsung SDI of South Korea has stated that it is in talks with Tesla regarding the supply of energy storage batteries. It is reported that the value of this order could exceed 3 trillion South Korean won (approximately RMB 14.85 billion).
If this deal is finalized, it will mark another major move by Tesla to "de-Chinize" its supply chain.
Tesla's Chief Financial Officer Vaibhav Taneja stated in April this year that U.S. tariffs have had an "excessive impact" on the company's energy business, and therefore, the company is seeking suppliers outside of China.
It is reported that the energy storage business is Tesla's core business and a key driver of its revenue and profitability. Financial reports show that Tesla's energy storage business revenue increased by 44% year-over-year in the third quarter of this year, reaching $3.42 billion, setting a new record for the 13th consecutive quarter.
According to information disclosed by Tesla during its third-quarter 2025 financial conference call, all of its current energy storage batteries are sourced from Chinese companies such as Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL), and Tesla claims it is looking for alternative solutions.
In addition to the potential cooperation with Samsung SDI, over the past few months, Tesla has signed chip and battery supply agreements with Samsung Electronics and LG Energy Solution.
Publicly available information shows that CATL is currently supplying battery cells and battery modules for energy storage to Tesla's Shanghai factory. The two parties also discussed in January this year how CATL could increase its supply as Tesla's energy storage business grows.
Additionally, Tesla had previously discussed collaboration with CATL in the United States, including authorizing CATL to produce batteries in Nevada, USA. However, there have been no public updates on this cooperation since then.
Aside from Tesla, Ford Motor Company also announced in February 2023 that it planned to cooperate with CATL to invest $3.5 billion in establishing an electric vehicle lithium iron phosphate battery factory in Michigan. The factory is scheduled to start production in 2026, providing power batteries for 400,000 electric vehicles annually and creating about 2,500 jobs. However, this collaboration has also not seen any public progress.
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Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7569023526552781348/
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