March 3, 2026 – According to the latest research from TrendForce, the combined global sales of new – energy vehicles are projected to reach 20.53 million units in 2025, marking a 26% year – on – year increase. Looking ahead to 2026, the figure is expected to climb to 23.4 million units, with a growth rate of approximately 14%.
A significant price hike in automotive – grade memory chips has emerged as a major challenge for automakers. This has also made the question of whether electric vehicles (EVs) will follow suit and raise their prices a focal point of market attention.
As new – energy vehicles become increasingly intelligent, the demand for large – capacity and high – bandwidth memory chips has surged. Consequently, EVs have been the most severely affected category by the price increases and supply fluctuations of memory chips.
However, when considering the cost breakdown, memory chips account for only 1% – 5% of the total material cost of an electric vehicle. This relatively low proportion serves as a crucial buffer in the process of cost transfer.
Moreover, the new – energy vehicle industry is currently in a critical phase of intelligent competition. Automakers prioritize a stable supply above all else. They strive to keep their new vehicle launch schedules and functional update timelines on track, rather than rushing to pass on the increased costs through price hikes.
On the whole, the price increase of memory chips has not yet triggered a widespread price rise in the electric vehicle market. Automakers are adopting a variety of strategies to cope with the cost pressure. While ensuring the stability of the supply chain, they are making every effort to maintain price stability in the end – user market.
