Electric vehicle makers across the country spent the summer investing in ambitious supplier deals and production plans to bolster their supply of EV batteries. Skyrocketing demand for the vehicles has highlighted constraints in the supply and processing of minerals needed for EV batteries.
Industry observers warn that global graphite demand could soon outstrip supply, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk is among a number of executives sounding the alarm on lithium processing constraints. At the same time, companies are striving to shift sourcing and production to North America in order to qualify for the Biden administration’s EV tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act.
Here are some of the plans automakers have announced in recent months to keep up with demand and begin to build an EV supply chain in North America.