Can Tesla shift the balance of EV battery and cell supply chains away from China?

Tesla Gigafactory Berlin rendering

At Tesla’s recent Battery Day presentation, the company promised to shake up its battery supply chains by moving into cell production and even the mining of raw material, but how realistic are these targets?

Arguably the biggest announcement was that Tesla wants to take control of the complete cathode supply chain, producing the cells in-house and mining the lithium itself from clay deposits in Nevada. Tesla is also making plans for a cobalt-free cathode, aiming to replace it with either iron, a mix of nickel and manganese, or pure nickel, depending on the application.

There is even some speculation that Tesla could invest directly or even take control of a major battery supplier.

However, while Tesla is known for surprising the industry with new technology, it can also be a bit optimistic with its predictions. Vivas Kumar, an ex-Tesla employee who is now principal consultant at electric vehicle and battery consultancy Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, commented that Tesla was unlikely to reach all of these goals in the next two or three years. 

THIS ARTICLE IS AVAILABLE TO REGISTERED USERS ONLY.

To continue reading this article and others like it, please SIGN-IN or REGISTER FREE today.

Create your FREE Automotive Logistics Account

AL Comp Tablet and print phone image 400px

By creating your account you will be able to stay up-to-date with the latest industry developments, trends and analysis, read in-depth reports and intelligence, and connect with your peers.

Creating an account gives you:

  • Detailed analysis and the latest news from leading global vehicle makers, tier suppliers and logistics providers
  • A weekly update on developments from your chosen sector  
  • A website homepage that is customised to the stories you want
  • Regular updates on our new suite of digital products
  • Early access to reports from our global portfolio of events

Gain access to our exclusive content and features register free today

Non-registered users are able to access one AL exclusive articles per week. You have now used your allocation.
To continue reading this article and others like it, please SIGN-IN or REGISTER FREE today