Chinese Tech Embeds in Global Supply Chains as EV Makers Hold 63% of 2025 Market

3 articles · Updated · CNBC · Aug 14

Apple, Ford, Volkswagen and Stellantis are deepening ties with Chinese tech groups, using partners from Alibaba and Baidu to CATL, Xpeng and Leapmotor for AI, batteries and smart-EV systems.
63% of the global EV market and nearly 70% of battery supply were held by Chinese players in 2025, giving them scale, cost advantages, supply-chain depth and innovation speed that analysts say multinationals cannot easily replace.
$3.5 billion of Ford's Michigan battery project relies on CATL's lithium-iron-phosphate technology, underscoring how Chinese battery know-how is already structurally embedded and costly to unwind.
AI is emerging as the next front: IDC found European companies adopting Chinese models mainly for performance and compliance, while open-source offerings from Alibaba and DeepSeek broaden global access.
U.S. curbs on chips, investment and blacklisted firms still limit adoption in semiconductors, cybersecurity and defense, but analysts expect a fragmented, pragmatic tech order with Chinese strength spreading across EVs, batteries and selected AI.