Research Articles

The telecommunications industry is contemplating a problem it hasn't faced before, a lack of growth. As reported by IDTechEx "6G Market 2026-2036: Technology, Trends, Forecasts, Players", YoY growth rates in global wireless traffic have been on a downward trend since 2020 (albeit still exhibiting growth). As the industry continues to lay the groundwork for the CAPEX-intensive shift to 6G, could various manifestations of AI offer a pathway to renewed growth?

IDTechEx analyst Mika Takahashi assesses non terrestrial networks in this IDTechEx video.

In October 2025, Virgin Media (one of the UK's largest telecom operators) signed a landmark partnership with Starlink to provide D2C (direct-to-cell) mobile services from 2026. Although this technology will harness the same satellites as those used for Starlink's satellite Wi-Fi, IDTechEx's latest report on 6G unpacks how D2C mobile services face fundamental physical challenges that will affect their performance compared with satellite Wi-Fi.

The telecom industry deploys new generations of wireless communications roughly every 10 years, with 6G expected to enter commercial use around 2030. So what is 6G, why is it needed, and how does it offer to change the game after the somewhat lacklustre performance of its predecessor, 5G?

IDTechEx summarises the progress of MEMS speakers.

Inertial measurement units, or IMUs, form the backbone of the physical layer of modern navigation systems. IMUs are continually evolving to serve a diverse and challenging set of performance requirements from industry.

The audio industry may be on the verge of a technological revolution. For over a century, the operating principles of speakers have remained largely unchanged, but this article explores the emergence of MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) speakers and how this paradigm shift could change the audio industry.

Could MEMS gravimeters be the next breakthrough in the MEMS industry? Gravimeters unlock subsurface scanning by measuring tiny deviations in local gravitational fields. Current gravimeters are large and expensive, but IDTechEx's latest report, "Next-Generation MEMS 2026-2036: Markets, Technologies, and Players", reveals that microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) could bring chip-scale gravimeters to market and dramatically alter the field of gravimetry.

3D weaving is emerging as one of the cutting-edge options for spacecraft thermal protection. Could these technologies mark a significant breakthrough and a paradigm shift in the field of thermal protection systems?

A German start-up has completed a test of an inflatable heat shield, the first European and first private such operation. Inflatable heat shields represent the cutting edge of thermal protection systems, potentially holding the key to truly low-cost and democratized access to space. What does this test mean for the industry?

On April 29th, the Trump administration modified its existing automotive tariff policy. IDTechEx research has broken down the changes, and the implications for the electric vehicle industry in the US.

The space economy is growing rapidly, driven by commercial operations with lower costs. Thermal protection systems enable spacecraft to endure the extreme environments of atmospheric entry, but how will developments in this industry impact the broader space economy?

As an independent market intelligence firm with industry experts immersed in the electric vehicle sector, we've put together our take on what you need to know about the US automotive trade tariffs.

EV adoption is taking off, but regulation remains the driving factor behind the shift from traditional ICE vehicles in many cases. However, governments and OEMs are adjusting their EV targets amid a challenging market situation. How will these changes affect the growth of EV sectors and markets?

The battery remains one of the key components of an EV, and vastly different performance, economic, and operational requirements necessitate a wide range of other batteries likely to be required for each sector. IDTechEx's report "Electric Vehicles across Land, Sea, and Air" covers 11 diverse vehicle categories. What types of batteries will be needed to meet the unique requirements of each of these sectors?

Global sales for electric cars will reach 69 million by 2045 - IDTechEx offers expert-led insights on this evolving market based on unique information from industry leaders.

By far, the biggest factor that determines the range and cost of an electric car is the battery. The now ubiquitous lithium-ion battery comes in a variety of chemistries. The first commercialized Li-ion batteries were lithium cobalt oxide (LCO), which remains the chemistry of choice in portable electronic devices, but the quest for a higher range has led to a search for new chemistries.

Electrification is rapidly expanding beyond automotive, with IDTechEx predicting that by 2045, the electric vehicle market (ex. Automotive) will be worth US$1 trillion. IDTechEx's new report, "Electric Vehicles: Land, Sea, and Air 2025-2045", covers 11 key vehicle segments, breaking down historic and forecast growth across 148 forecast lines, including battery demand, drivetrain share, and market value. What is the outlook for such diverse sectors as buses, planes, boats, and planes?

Hydrogen engines offer a fundamentally different approach to decarbonizing transport. IDTechEx Technology Analyst Mika Takahashi explains more about the technology in this short video.

While the fully battery electric vehicle (BEV) has struggled in several key markets, its plug-in hybrid alternative (PHEV) has been experiencing a stellar year. On the surface, PHEVs may appear to be an ideal compromise: zero emissions travel but without the same extent of reliance on expensive Li-ion batteries and backup ICE power to quell range anxiety. So, have BEVs had their moment in the sun, and is the future hybrid?

If H2ICE offers significant emissions reductions, can be done quickly, and does not compromise on performance and range (essential metrics for commercial vehicles), then what is holding it back?

Electric vehicles (EVs) have seen tremendous growth historically, but growth has slowed somewhat in 2024. The goal of automakers is to reduce the cost of making EVs, both to improve their profit margins on existing vehicles and to make lower-cost models more feasible.

On Tuesday, November 5th, millions of Americans went to the polls to vote for the 47th President of the United States. The results were emphatic: a second Trump administration and a Republican-controlled Senate. While this election will impact many aspects of the global economy, what do these results entail for one of the world's biggest automotive markets?

Chinese carmakers of all segments and sizes were the hottest talking points at The Paris Motor Show this year, as they hoped to sway potential customers who may never have even heard of them before the event. But why have Chinese carmakers decided that Europe is the next market to expand into?

Could engines running on hydrogen keep the best of both worlds, familiar and mature ICE technology with zero emissions?

Does the hydrogen combustion engine offer a viable route to continuing ICE car production? According to IDTechEx's latest article the answer is, at least for cars, no. But why?

The executive summary of the European Commission's "Initiation of an anti-subsidy investigation concerning imports of new battery electric vehicles... originating in the People's Republic of China" contained an important definition. The statement sets out the Commission's aims regarding the anti-subsidy investigation and defines the product in question as a battery electric vehicle (BEV) designed for the transport of 9 or less passengers.

Electric buses are booming, with sales growing in Europe, America, India, and other key regions. Transport operators have shown themselves keen to electrify urban transport and cut greenhouse gas emissions. As emissions regulations tighten, city buses are likely to be all-electric within the next few years.

In April 2024, global energy, technology, and utility provider Hitachi Energy announced a US$1.5 billion investment program to ramp up global transformer production by 2027. IDTechEx's research into electrical grids indicates that transformers are a critical component and potential supply bottleneck for large-scale grid upgrades. These upgrades are essential as society shifts from a transportation sector fuelled by petrochemicals transported in tankers to a sector powered by electricity carried by wires.

Buses are the most common form of public transport worldwide and are an integral part of billions of daily commutes. From Mumbai to Amsterdam, buses offer cheap and accessible transportation for people to get to work, leisure, and a whole host of other destinations. Buses have been the workhorses of urban transport for almost a hundred years, and for most of that time, they have run on diesel engines.

Electrification of cars, buses, and trucks drastically reduces CO2 emissions at the point of use compared to a diesel or petrol alternative. The adoption of EVs across all sectors, with IDTechEx predicting over 180 million electric vehicles to be sold annually by 2044. This will contribute to a drastic reduction in tailpipe emissions.

Electric vehicles are no longer a niche oddity but fully mainstream, with many automotive manufacturers announcing targets to phase out ICE construction in favor of BEVs (battery electric vehicles). Passenger cars are not the only sectors where electrification is taking off. Medium and heavy-duty haulage, construction, agriculture, and mining are all under pressure to reduce transport-related greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), and going electric is an increasingly attractive solution.