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Expectations for persistently higher interest rates has led companies to alter plans as they eye 2024 warily. "EV demand next year could be lower than expectations," Lee Chang-sil, chief financial officer at South Korean battery maker LG Energy Solution (373220.KS) said on Wednesday, due to global economic uncertainty. GM on Tuesday said it would focus near-term EV efforts on meeting demand rather than hitting specific volume targets. If interest rates remain high or if they go even higher, it's that much harder for people to buy the car." Like many other industrial firms, carmakers hedge against commodity price swings, and with EV demand slowing, raw material prices have softened, including those used heavily in batteries.

Persons: Tesla, Aly, Lee Chang, Mary Barra, Elon Musk, Nidec, China's CATL, Ben Klayman, David Gaffen, Eric Onstad, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: REUTERS, Honda, EV, sil, South, LG Energy, General Motors, GM, Investors, Tech, Cox Automotive, European Union, Volkswagen, Fastmarkets, CME, U.S, Ford, EVs, Victoria Waldersee, Thomson Locations: Tesla China, Shanghai, China, KS, United States, Mexico, Detroit, New York, London, Berlin

☆ Posco-backed group invests in lithium technology startup EnergyX
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Ernest Scheyder | Thomson Reuters | Ernest Scheyder Is An Award-Winning Senior Correspondent Covering The Green Energy Transition | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Posco, which invests through those funds, will work with EnergyX to help its technology reach commercial production, the companies said. The companies declined to say how much of the EnergyX Series B that the consortium is funding. Reuters reported in April that the EnergyX Series B is being led by General Motors (GM.N). Allkem (AKE.AX), Livent (LTHM.N) and others produce lithium nearby. In addition to working with Posco, EnergyX is looking for Argentine brine deposits to purchase, Egan said, though he declined to be more specific.

Persons: Kim Hong, EnergyX, Jaeho Rhee, Posco's Sal, Teague Egan, Posco, Egan, China's CATL, Ernest Scheyder, Stephen Coates Organizations: REUTERS, South, Posco Holdings, EnergyX, Elohim Partners, IMM Investment, Reuters, General Motors, EnergyX's, GM, Thomson Locations: Seoul, South Korea, KS, Argentina, Oro, Argentina's Salta Province, Posco's, Posco, Chile, Bolivia, South

UAW President Shawn Fain has transformed the rituals of contract talks with General Motors(GM.N), Ford(F.N) and Chrysler parent Stellantis (STLAM.MI) into a high-stakes, made-for-media game. GM and Ford said Monday they were indefinitely laying off another 500 workers at four Midwestern plants, citing the impact of the walkouts. Analysts looking ahead to third-quarter financial results this month are starting to reckon the costs of what the UAW calls "Stand up strikes." Ford plans four EV battery plants in the U.S. - three under joint ventures with South Korean battery maker SK On(096770.KS). GM's joint venture battery plants also have separate status and GM has declined to include them in negotiations.

Persons: Shawn Fain, Mack Trucks, Ford, JP Morgan, Fain, Harley Shaiken, Mary Barra, Jim Farley, Farley, CATL, GM's, . Company bargainers, Joseph White, Ben Klayman, David Shepardson, David Gregorio Our Organizations: DETROIT, United Auto Workers, Detroit Three, UAW, General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Volvo Group, GM, Chevrolet, University of California Berkley, automaker's, automaker's Michigan Assembly, SK, . Company, ”, Thomson Locations: Escalade, automaker's Michigan, U.S, Korean, Marshall , Michigan

JSW held talks with senior LGES executives in Korea earlier this month, proposing a partnership to manufacture battery cells in India for EVs and energy storage, one of the people with direct knowledge of the discussions said. "Due diligence wise JSW is talking to a lot of people because it needs an ecosystem for an EV. JSW's billionaire chairman Sajjan Jindal has publicly aired his desire to build EVs and its talks to buy a stake in China's MG Motor (600104.SS). Toshiba said it is not able to confirm "at this point" if it is in talks with JSW for a partnership to build battery cells. Tesla is also eyeing India and is in talks with the government to build EVs and batteries there.

Persons: Danish Siddiqui, JSW, LGES, China's CATL, Sajjan Jindal, CATL, Narendra Modi's, JSW's, Ola, Aditi Shah, Neha Arora, Heekyong Yang, Daniel Leussink, Miho Uranaka, Zhang Yan, Alexander Smith Organizations: REUTERS, Danish, Korea's LG Energy, Panasonic, Toshiba, JSW's, Tesla, General Motors, China's, HK, Reuters, JSW, Tata Motors, TVS, Thomson Locations: Mumbai, India, DELHI, Korea, Korean, India's, New Delhi, Seoul, Tokyo, Shanghai

"Due diligence wise JSW is talking to a lot of people because it needs an ecosystem for an EV. JSW's billionaire chairman Sajjan Jindal has publicly aired his desire to build EVs and its talks to buy a stake in China's MG Motor (600104.SS). Toshiba said it is not able to confirm "at this point" if it is in talks with JSW for a partnership to build battery cells. All three sources declined to be identified as the talks are still ongoing and a final decision has not been made. Tesla is also eyeing India and is in talks with the government to build EVs and batteries there.

A parking bay reserved for electric car charging can be seen on display in London, Britain, October 19, 2018. REUTERS/Simon Dawson/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsSINGAPORE, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Fully electric refrigerated trucks for delivering food and pharmaceuticals are expected to give a Singapore-based startup the edge to crack into the crowded Chinese electric vehicle (EV) market. A viable cold storage electric vehicle could be a lucrative niche for Singauto inside the Chinese EV market, the world's largest. The constraint has slowed the adoption of pure electric trucks by cold-chain fleet operators, though automakers including Geely (GEELY.UL) and Toyota (7203.T) offer hybrid models and hydrogen-powered trucks as alternatives. Liu said Singauto can turn profitable with sales of 30,000 trucks, in part because it has outsourced the design, engineering and manufacturing of the vehicle.

Persons: Simon Dawson, Liu Yuqiang, Liu, China's CATL, Wang Xun, ” Wang, We're, Chen Aizhu, Kevin Krolicki, Zhang Yan, Miyoung Kim Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Singauto Technology, Reuters, EV, Toyota, Shanghai, Automotive Technology, Cynergy Global Investment, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Rights SINGAPORE, Singapore, Beijing, Qingdao, Southeast Asia, China, U.S, Asia

☆ China's CATL launches fast charging LFP battery, mass production expected by year-end
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

People walk past the booth of the battery manufacturer Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL) at the Auto Shanghai show, in Shanghai, China April 18, 2023. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING/SHANGHAI, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Chinese battery giant CATL(300750.SZ) on Wednesday launched a fast charging lithium iron phosphate or LFP battery capable of running 400 km (248 miles) on a 10-minute charge. "We hope through continuous efforts to improve technology and reduce costs, Shenxing will become a standard product available for every electric vehicle," Gao said. Automakers such as Chongqing Changan Automobile and Guangzhou Automobile Group also sourced more batteries from smaller suppliers to reduce costs. Reporting by Zhang Yan, Qiaoyi Li and Brenda Goh; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Tomasz JanowskiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Aly, ， Gao Han, CATL's, Gao, CATL, Zhang Yan, Qiaoyi Li, Brenda Goh, Himani Sarkar, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: Amperex Technology, ., Auto, REUTERS, Rights, Wednesday, Chongqing Changan Automobile, Guangzhou Automobile Group, Thomson Locations: Auto Shanghai, Shanghai, China, Rights BEIJING, SHANGHAI, Chongqing

☆ China's CATL says cooperation with Ford moving forward as normal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BEIJING, July 24 (Reuters) - Chinese battery giant CATL said in a statement on Monday that its cooperation with Ford Motor is moving forward as normal. The statement came after two U.S. House of Representatives committees said on Friday they are investigating Ford's Chinese battery partnership. Reporting by Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Kim CoghillOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Kim Coghill Organizations: Ford, . House, Beijing, Thomson Locations: BEIJING

☆ Factbox: Companies invest in EV battery factories in Europe
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Below are recent investments announced by companies:GERMANYSweden's Northvolt said on May 13 it will invest 3-5 billion euros ($3.3-5.5 billion) in an EV battery plant in Heide in the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein as long as subsidies are approved. Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) plans to build six battery factories in Europe totalling 240 gigawatt (GWh) of capacity by 2030. Production at its first battery plant, "SalzGiga", in Salzgitter in the Lower Saxony region will start in 2025. Slovakian battery manufacturer InoBat said last October it had signed a declaration of intent with the Spanish government to set up an EV battery factory in central Spain's city Valladolid, expected to cost 3 billion euros. POLANDLG Chem EV battery in Wroclaw started production in the second half of 2017, with a capacity of 100,000 batteries per year.

Persons: Helena Soderpalm, GERMANY Sweden's Northvolt, China's CATL, Germany's, Mercedes Benz, Elon Musk, Berclau, Taiwan's ProLogium, Jean, Luc Monfort, Mata, BASQUEVOLT, InoBat, China's BYD, AEHRA, Poland's, Alessandro Parodi, Tiago Brandao, Matteo Allievi, Barbara Lewis, Milla Nissi Organizations: REUTERS, Volkswagen, EV, Germany's BASF, Automotive Cells Company, ACC, Stellantis, Tesla, FRANCE Joint, France, Renault, Basque Country, Spanish, India's Tata Group, ITALY Joint, POLAND LG, European Commission, SWEDEN Northvolt's Skelleftea, Thomson Locations: Vasteras, Sweden, Europe, Asia, United States, GERMANY, Heide, Schleswig, Holstein, Salzgitter, Lower Saxony, China, Erfurt, Thuringia, Schwarzheide, Brandenburg ., Ludwigsfelde, Berlin, Kaiserslautern, Rhineland, Palatinate, Gigafactory, FRANCE, Billy, France, Dunkirk, Douai, Ruitz, Ergué, Quimper, Montreal, SPAIN Spain, Europe's, Germany, Navalmoral de, Extremadura, Sagunto, Valencia, Spain, Basque, Slovakian, Spain's, Valladolid, Britain, ITALY, Termoli, POLAND, Wroclaw, HUNGARY

The Hebei-based company is also considering establishing a research and development centre in Thailand that could work on battery powered pickup trucks, Narong Sritalayon, managing director of Great Wall Motor Thailand said in an interview. "I think there is a lot of things we can learn from Thailand's unique market for pickup trucks," Narong said. Great Wall launched its Ora Good Cat compact EV in Thailand in late 2021. Great Wall entered Thailand in 2020 after taking over a former General Motors Co (GM.N) plant that currently makes two of its Haval hybrid vehicles for sale in the country. But the facility could be upgraded for battery cell production with additional investment depending on demand and Thai government support, Great Wall added.

☆ Thailand in talks with CATL, others on potential battery plants, govt official says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Devjyot Ghoshal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"We are talking to many companies, not only CATL but many companies in the battery industry," said Narit Therdsteerasukdi, Secretary General of Thailand Board of Investment (BOI). CATL, the world's dominant battery supplier with a 37% market share, currently has no production facilities in Southeast Asia, its website shows. In the past few years, Thailand has drawn investments from EV companies, mainly Chinese, including Great Wall Motors and BYD Co (002594.SZ). Narit said the government's goal was to direct support and subsidies to land larger battery production facilities. CATL currently has 13 battery production hubs, 11 in China, one in Hungary and one in Germany.

☆ Factbox: Lithium key element for electric vehicle ramp up
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

April 21 (Reuters) - Chile, the world's second largest lithium producer, said it plans to transfer control of the production of the mineral essential for electric vehicle (EV) batteries to a new state-owned company. Australia is the world's largest lithium producer, but Chile has by far the largest known reserves. Battery grade lithium prices touched record levels of $85,000 a tonne in December, but have slumped by nearly 50% since then. EV battery makers have developed multiple types of lithium battery products. Lithium demand is expected to balloon to 3 million tonnes a year by 2030 from only 300,000 tonnes in 2020, according to Bank of America analysts.

☆ China's CATL unveils condensed matter battery to power civil aircraft
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SHANGHAI, April 19 (Reuters) - Chinese battery giant CATL (300750.SZ) on Wednesday unveiled a condensed matter battery that it said could supply enough energy to power electric passenger aircraft for civil aviation use. CATL will also be able to start mass production of the condensed matter battery for electric vehicle uses later this year, Wu added. Condensed matter technology is being embraced by battery makers competing to develop new materials to improve energy density of the current generation of lithium-ion batteries, which is under 300 Wh/kg. Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Nio (9866.HK) is planning to power its ET7 cars with a semi-solid state battery with 360 Wh/kg energy density developed by Beijing Welion New Energy Technology. Reporting by Zhang Yan, Albee Zhang and Brenda Goh Editing by Shri NavaratnamOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ China's CATL to start mass production, delivery of M3P batteries this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

SHANGHAI, March 24 (Reuters) - Chinese battery giant CATL (300750.SZ) plans to start mass production and delivery of batteries based on a new materials technology, M3P, which will perform better but cost less than nickel and cobalt-based batteries, its chairman said. Zeng Yuqun made the comments in an online investor briefing on Friday. M3P batteries will have greater energy density and perform better than lithium-ion phosphate batteries, a market CATL dominates, but will be cheaper than nickel and cobalt-based batteries, he added. Reporting by Zhang Yan and Brenda GohOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Analysis: CATL's 'price war' shows its power, and China's EV edge
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

"It's very much a market share game," said Caspar Rawles, chief data officer at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence. Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd - more widely known by its initials - is the dominant global supplier with a 37% share of the EV market. For CATL, the discount is a way to head off a bid by Chinese EV makers to seek alternatives. CATL batteries power Volkswagen's (VOWG_p.DE) I.D. "The reductions that CATL is offering would help the Chinese EV industry," said James Frith, a principal at battery-tech focused venture capital group Volta Energy Technologies.

The government is aiming to reach 2 million sales of electric motorbike in 2025 as the Indonesia attracts billion of dollars of investment in processing its rich nickel reserves into battery materials. Indonesia sold less than 40,000 electric motorbikes between 2019 and 2022, while its total motorbike sales in 2022 alone were 5.22 million units, industry data showed. Now their (annual) electric motorbike sales have reached more than 30 million," he said. Indonesia's government is targeting as much as 300,000 units of electric motorbike sales for 2023. The plant would have 10 Gigawatt hour capacity which would be enough to power 200,000 electric cars or up to 2.5 million electric scooters.

☆ Lithium prices in China have tumbled 29% as slower EV demand hits 'white gold'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The price of lithium, essential to EV batteries, has fallen by 29% from November highs in China. The metal is still worth eight times more than it was before 2021. Sigma Lithium sharply jumped Tuesday following a report that Tesla is thinking about buying the Canadian miner. While this spells an end to its two-year rally, the "white gold" of clean energy continues to be worth eight times more than it was two years ago. China's CATL, which is the world's largest battery producer, reportedly agreed to sell batteries to Chinese EV makers at lower rates.

☆ China's top diplomat urges end to hostilities ahead of Moscow visit
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

In a Facebook video during a meeting with Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, Wang said the world was afflicted by disorder and wars. Despite being a member of both NATO and the European Union, Hungary has maintained closer ties to Moscow than other members of those groups. Orban, who has worked to build closer business ties with China, hosted Wang at a private dinner on Sunday, news agency MTI reported. Wang reaffirmed Beijing's commitment to closer economic ties, including via China's vast Belt and Road Initiative. ($1 = 0.9368 euro)Reporting by Gergely Szakacs and Alan Charlish; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Frank Jack DanielOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ U.S. Senator Rubio seeks review of Ford technology deal with China's CATL
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Anna Rose Layden/Pool via REUTERSWASHINGTON, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Senator Marco Rubio on Tuesday asked the Biden administration to review Ford Motor's (F.N) deal to use technology from Chinese battery company CATL (300750.SZ) as part of the automaker's plan to spend $3.5 billion to build a battery plant in Michigan. The $430 billion IRA imposes restrictions on battery sourcing and is designed to wean the United States off the Chinese supply chain for electric vehicles (EVs). Treasury declined to comment, but Granholm said on Twitter on Monday that "bringing advanced manufacturing capabilities from overseas to the United States is key to our competitiveness, will stimulate our economy, and create good-paying American jobs." Ford said the plant would create 2,500 jobs and begin producing lower cost and faster recharging lithium-iron-phosphate batteries in 2026. Republican House Majority Leader Steve Scalise tweeted criticism of the Ford deal, while Republican Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin said last month that his state had withdrawn from the competition to attract the Ford plant over concern's about China's potential involvement.

☆ Watch CNBC's full interview with Ford CEO Jim Farley
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWatch CNBC's full interview with Ford CEO Jim FarleyJim Farley, CEO of Ford, joins 'Power Lunch' to discuss Ford's latest plant development, bringing down the cost of EV batteries and the company's decision to license battery technology from China's CATL.

☆ Ford announces new U.S. factory for batteries, licenses tech from China's CATL
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailFord announces new U.S. factory for batteries, licenses tech from China's CATLJim Farley, CEO of Ford, joins 'Power Lunch' to discuss Ford's latest attempt to bring down the cost of EV batteries and the decision to license technology from China's CATL.

☆ Politics aside, China's CATL ramps up cell production in Germany
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Victoria Waldersee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ARNSTADT, Germany, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Chinese battery giant CATL (300750.SZ) is putting down roots near the small central German town of Arnstadt, ploughing ahead with the ramp-up of battery cell production despite uncertainty over Germany's future relations with China. The Arnstadt plant delivered its first sample cells to customers in December and aims to have six production lines running this year. For now, the materials used are mostly imported from China, partly because CATL has long-term relationships with suppliers there. But some Chinese suppliers have set up shop in Europe near the Arnstadt plant, CATL's Europe president Matthias Zentgraf said in an interview. CATL will be the largest battery maker in Europe once its planned 100-GWh plant in Hungary reaches full capacity.

That would mean running Tesla factories leaner with fewer materials in inventory, cutting shipping and logistics costs and negotiating lower prices for components, he said - putting Tesla's suppliers on notice. "My guess is if the recession is a serious one, and I think it probably will be but I hope it isn't, that would lead to meaningful decrease in almost all of our input costs," Musk said. Tesla's third-quarter profit per car sold was more than seven times higher than Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T), for example. The company's average cost per vehicle, including all categories of its spending, was almost $44,000 in the fourth quarter. I think there's just a vast number of people that want to buy a Tesla but can't afford it," Musk said.

☆ Ford, China's CATL considering building U.S. battery plant -Bloomberg
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 14 (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co (F.N) and China's Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd (CATL) (300750.SZ) are considering building a battery plant in Michigan or Virginia to reap tax benefits without treading on Sino-U.S. political sensitivities, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday. The multibillion-dollar facility will make lithium iron phosphate batteries for Ford's electric models, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter. That would let the facility qualify for production tax credits under the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act without needing direct financial investment from CATL, Bloomberg reported. In October, Reuters reported CATL had slowed plans to invest in battery plants in North America over concerns that new U.S. rules on sourcing required materials would drive up costs. Ford and CATL did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment.

☆ China's CATL to provide EV batteries for Honda starting in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] People walk past the R&D centre of Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (CATL) in Ningde, Fujian province, China, December 16, 2016. REUTERS/Jake Spring/File PhotoTOKYO, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Honda Motor Co (7267.T) said on Thursday that Chinese battery giant CATL (300750.SZ) would supply batteries for seven years for its electric vehicles (EV) in China. The Japanese automaker said the Chinese firm would provide 123 GWh worth of batteries starting in 2024 through 2030 for the Honda's e:N Series. Honda said at that time it would launch its first EV with a CATL battery in China in 2022 and would expand the partnership with stable EV battery supply globally in the future. It unveiled the second model of its new China-only EV lineup in November as part of its effort to roll out the e:N Series.

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