Here we are breaking our general rule against posting every 'breakthrough' or change in chemistry or manufacturing process for the second time in a week* but when it's CATL or Tesla you almost have to pay attention or risk getting stuck as the market moves away from you.
On the other hand we have no interest in something like QuantumScape which recently reiterated their target dates for commercialization as 2024 -2025. Too much can happen in the meantime.And a small underfunded company may not be able to react.
From Reuters:
The development of a new sodium-ion battery by Chinese battery giant CATL is expected in the coming years to relieve pressure on lithium supplies, which are forecast to see shortages as early as 2022.
As the world seeks to cut carbon emissions, partly by ramping up electric vehicle (EV) output, demand is expected to soar for lithium, cobalt and nickel.
Fearful of shortages and high prices, automakers and battery producers have been working on alternate technologies to the dominant lithium-ion battery.
CATL said last week it plans to build a supply chain by 2023 to produce sodium-ion batteries, which have lower energy density than lithium-ion models, but are fast charging and more resilient in cold temperatures.
William Adams, head of base metals and battery research at Fastmarkets, said CATL’s plans would alleviate the pressure.
“It means there’s a Plan B if there isn’t enough lithium around,” he said.
Fastmarkets sees the lithium market shifting to a deficit next year from a balanced level in 2021 with demand more than tripling to 1.12 million tonnes by 2025 compared to 2020....
....MUCH MORE
July 28
"What Tesla’s bet on iron-based batteries means for manufacturers" (TSLA)
