From ultra-fast charging and vertical integration to global expansion and shifting consumer expectations, Stella explains how BYD is redefining what it means to be a carmaker, positioning the vehicle as a technology hub rather than simply a mode of transport.

In this episode of Fast Forward, Andrea Hotter speaks with Stella Li, executive vice president at BYD, one of the world’s fastest-growing electric vehicle and battery companies. From ultra-fast charging and vertical integration to global expansion and shifting consumer expectations, Stella explains how BYD is redefining what it means to be a carmaker.

China’s emergence over the past two decades has reshaped global trade. What began as rapid export-led expansion in the early 2000s has evolved into a far more strategic model: one centered on control of intermediate goods, deep integration into global supply chains, and the creation of structural dependencies across industries and regions, according to Mexico’s former ambassador to China, Jorge Guajardo.

North American automotive OEMs are navigating one of the toughest cost pressures today: raw material volatility. As supply chains become more localized through USMCA, the IRA, and reshoring, manufacturers continue to face rising material price risks.

European automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers are facing a period of unprecedented market uncertainty.

Accelerating energy storage deployment is reshaping lithium demand, broadening the market beyond electric vehicles (EVs) and reducing reliance on a single growth driver.

The steel market is increasingly pivoting away from blast furnace (BF) production and toward electric-arc furnaces (EAFs), Keith Shuttlesworth, chief commercial officer of clean iron technology company Electra, told Fastmarkets in an interview on Tuesday March 10.

The auto industry is well-positioned to accelerate the use of lower emissions steel and automakers are increasingly using the material to boost competitiveness in the EV market.

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Explore the battery raw materials outlook for 2026, highlighting market volatility and shifting geopolitical factors.