Chinese battery makers including CALB, EVE Energy and Sunwoda unveiled ultra-fast charging technology at the Beijing auto show, enabling 10-70% charges in under 10 minutes. Nio demonstrated a 3-minute battery swap, while BYD and CATL announced similar capabilities, intensifying competition to match petrol car refueling times.
A coalition of EU titanium dioxide producers including Tronox, Kronos, Precheza and Cinkarna has filed a complaint with the European Commission against Chinese producer LB Group, alleging unfair foreign subsidies in its planned acquisition of Venator's UK plant in Greatham. The complaint, filed in December 2025, urges investigation under the EU's Foreign Subsidies Regulation, which has never been applied outside the EU before. If the Commission opens an investigation, it would set a major precedent, as acquiring the UK plant would allow LB Group to export to the EU duty-free, circumventing anti-dumping tariffs imposed in January 2025.
