US immigration raid Hyundai Metaplant battery site and arrest 475 workers US immigration authorities arrested 475 workers at Hyundai’s Metaplant in the US state of Georgia in a raid carried out on September 4. Marcus Williams Anushka Dixit
OEMs pivot from US battery investments as EV incentives die out Automakers pause US battery investments as government ends EV tax credits, impacting supply chains and market dynamics. Megan Kelly
LG Energy Solution to buyout GM share in Ultium Cells plant but partners extend agreement for prismatic cell development GM is selling its stake in one of the three Ultium Cells battery cell plants it set up with LG Energy Solutions Marcus Williams
Stellantis and LG Energy Solution begin battery production in Canada Stellantis’ battery-making joint venture with LG Energy Solution – NextStar Energy – has started battery module production at its new Windsor facility in Ontario, Canada. Marcus Williams
Ford changes EV outlook and realigns battery sourcing Ford has changed tack on its electric vehicle (EV) plans and will now use hybrid technology for its three-row SUVs. The carmaker said it will take a special non-cash charge of about $400m for the write-down of product-specific manufacturing assets for the previously planned all-electric versions, which it will no longer produce. Marcus Williams
Europe’s push for self-sufficient lithium battery production Lithium battery makers in Europe are working hard to localise production and meet EU regulatory goals while protecting their supply chains from geopolitical disruption. Marcus Williams talks to Basquevolt, Inobat and LG Energy Solution about the state of play. Marcus Williams
GM bolsters EV supply chain in North America with LG cathode deal GM has signed a long-term contract with LG Chem worth 25 trillion Korean won ($18.7 billion) for the localised supply of more than 500,000 tons of cathode material in support of the carmaker’s electric vehicle (EV) production in the US Marcus Williams
Toyota boosts investment in US battery plant with eight extra lines Toyota is adding $8 billion of investment to its Toyota Battery Manufacturing North Carolina (TBNMA) facility in the US, which is currently under construction. It brings total investment in the plant to $13.9 billion and the creation of 5,000 jobs. Marcus Williams
LG Energy Solution to supply Toyota with batteries for EV production in US Toyota Motor North America has signed a battery supply deal with LG Energy Solution that will start in 2025. The battery maker will supply Toyota with lithium-ion batteries for its electric vehicle (EV) production in the US. The deal represents LG Energy’s largest single supply agreement secured outside of any joint venture deals. Marcus Williams
Hyundai and Georgia Ports Authority mark first Metaplant shipment Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) and Georgia Ports Authority have marked the first shipment of parts for the EV manufacturing Metaplant under construction in Bryan County. Megan Kelly
LG Chem secures lithium supply in North America with Piedmont deal LG Chem has signed an agreement with American mining company Piedmont Lithium for the supply of spodumene concentrate, which is used to extract lithium. Marcus Williams
LG and Honda formalise joint battery venture for North American supply Honda and LG have formalised their joint battery venture, which was first announced in August 2022, with a view to build a brand new North American facility to provide EV batteries for Honda’s production there, creating over 2000 jobs. Hazel Southwell
US DoE announces $2.5 billion loan to accelerate Ultium Cells plants The US Department of Energy (DoE) has confirmed a $2.5 billion loan for the Ultium Cells battery joint venture between General Motors and LG Energy Solution. The money will go toward construction costs on three battery factories in Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee that will supply GM’s electric vehicle (EV) assembly lines in North America. Hazel Southwell
Europe needs to take charge of its battery supply chain Vehicle makers have some ambitious goals to make their products and operations emission-free in line with strict government legislation on carbon neutrality by 2050. However, the European automotive industry is lagging a long way behind China in supporting that transition with a localised lithium-ion battery industry. Now it has little time left to meet the exponential demand for EV batteries expected in the coming decade. Marcus Williams
Strategies for a sustainable US auto sector The latest legislation on domestic EV production in the US will strengthen a more sustainable vehicle industry there, but it will also lead to a significant shift in the balance of imports and exports Marcus Williams
Honda joins GM, Stellantis in US battery joint ventures with LG Honda has become the latest OEM to partner with Korean battery giant LG to build lithium battery capacity for electric vehicle (EV) production the US, after announcing a joint investment of $4.4 billion and a new joint venture, expected to be finalised by the end of 2022. Hazel Southwell
Lithium-ion battery gigafactory database Track electric vehicle lithium battery gigafactories by manufacturer, location, manufacturer, current and planned gigawatt (GWh) capacity. Automotive from Ultima Media
Car industry looks for more vertical integration to avoid risk Carmakers and their suppliers have had two years full of volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (Vuca) and are actively looking for new strategies to mitigate risk in the supply chain secure future production. Namrita Chow
Local battery production promises to re-industrialise Europe Localising lithium-ion battery production in Europe does not just promise a more secure battery supply chain, it could play a major role in the industrial salvation of a market that has lost its competitive footing against stronger Asian rivals in the race to a more sustainable future of mobility. Marcus Williams
Stellantis and LG to form EV battery joint venture in US Stellantis and LG Energy Solution have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a joint venture plant to produce battery cells and modules for the North American automotive market. The move is part of the carmaker’s aim to make 40% of the cars it sells in the US electric by 2030, in line with the aims of the US government. Jason Dunn
GM extends shutdown to deal with batteries and Bolt recalls GM has extended the temporary closure of its Orion Township plant in Michigan, US until November 1 as the carmaker continues to work with its battery supplier LG Electronics to develop new battery modules for its Chevrolet Bolt EV. Marcus Williams
Bolt battery fires add to GM’s production problems GM has extended the closure of its Orion assembly plant in Michigan, US, until October 18 because of a battery supply problem. Marcus Williams
Clarity drives focus in the battery supply chain As the automotive industry embraces electric vehicle production, carmakers are in tough competition with each other, and other industries, for the minerals used to make the lithium-ion batteries driving them. Those carmakers need better visibility of the supply chain if a disruption similar to the semiconductor shortage is to be avoided says Rekha Menon-Varma, co-founder and managing partner at Vertaeon Marcus Williams
EV battery supply chains on the move As electric vehicles become serious business for OEMs, they are reassessing their battery supply and manufacturing bases, putting their eggs in multiple baskets and taking more control of the process. Illya Verpraet Daniel Harrison
OEM and lithium-ion battery cell supplier database Keep up with changing supplier relationships between electric vehicle manufacturers and battery cell suppliers in this database by powertrain type (battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, mild and full hybrid electric vehicles, and commercial electric vehicles). Automotive from Ultima Media
Electric vehicle battery supply chain analysis 2021: How lithium-ion battery demand and production are reshaping the automotive industry Download this report for forecasts of electric vehicle lithium-ion battery demand, analysis of battery cell gigafactory locations and insight on global EV battery manufacturing and supply chain management. Daniel Harrison Christopher Ludwig
German carmakers race to secure European battery cell production The millions of electric vehicles being produced also need millions of batteries. But where do the German manufacturers source their cells from? Werner Beutnagel Illya Verpraet
SK Innovation banned from the US for 10 years following LG lawsuit The US International Trade Commission has imposed a 10-year ban on SK Innovation for the importation, domestic production and sale of electric vehicle batteries within the US because of intellectual property theft from rival LG Chem. It is a tough sentence, but perhaps unsurprising given the context of the global push to electrification. Daniel Harrison
VW boosts green credentials of lithium battery supply to Zwickau Volkswagen is using a combination of rail and automated unloading to move batteries to its plant in Zwickau, Germany, its first plant dedicated to electric vehicle production, which is currently making the ID.3 and ID.4 Marcus Williams
Meeting increasing demand for EVs in Europe depends on better battery supply The increase in sales of low-emission vehicles in Europe has been a silver lining on an otherwise dark year for the automotive industry but there are still bottlenecks to tackle in the lithium battery chain if supply is to keep up with demand, writes Daniel Harrison Daniel Harrison
