Posted by AGORACOM
at 11:33 AM on Thursday, November 26th, 2020
Lomiko Metals (LMR: TSXV) has discovered high-grade graphite at its La Loutre property in Quebec and is working toward a Pre-Economic Assessment to increase the current resource to 10m/t of 10% Cg (graphite) in order to supply the future demand needs of a burgeoning metals battery market.
LOMIKO METALS Paul A. Gill:
“Initial indications are that La Loutre Graphite Property is high-quality and high-grade and thus worthy of development.” stated A. Paul Gill, CEO. “The only operating graphite mine in North America which is the Imerys Graphite & Carbon at Lac-des-Îles, is 30 miles northwest of La Loutre and has operated for 30 years.
Lomiko is in an ideal position to participate in the Electrical Vehicle market with the potential to become a North American supplier of graphite materials for the emerging battery EV battery market. Here is why:
WoodMac – Graphite…..forecasts that the battery sector would make up more than 35% of demand by 2030, with demand growing by 1.6 million tonnes by that date.
Simon Moores – “There is no doubt now that regardless of how well Tesla’s vehicles continue to sell, raw material availability will be the primary slowing factor on the company scaling.”
Wood Mackenzie highlight the demand impact battery production will have on the raw materials required. ” When it comes to graphite, the report forecasts that the battery sector would make up more than 35% of demand by 2030, with demand growing by 1.6 million tonnes by that date.
2 Reasons Why Battery Demand is Key to Lomiko’s Growth
2019 to 2030 demand increase forecast for EV metals as the EV boom takes off – ‘Battery’ graphite demand forecast to grow 10x.
Posted by AGORACOM
at 8:27 AM on Tuesday, November 24th, 2020
Graphite Exploration Companies in North American Garnering Attention from Investors
Vancouver, B.C., Nov. 24, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lomiko Metals Inc. (“Lomiko”) (TSX-V: LMR, OTC: LMRMF, FSE: DH8C) is focused on the exploration and development of flake graphite in Quebec for the new green economy. Lomiko is pleased to announce the Lomiko Technical, Safety and Sustainability Committee (“LTSSC”) has recommended the acceptance of a Proposal by SGS Canada Inc. to conduct a Metallurgical Process Development Program to the Board of Directors. This Program has been accepted and approved by the Lomiko Board.
SGS Metallurgical Process Development Plan
Lomiko plans to ship four composites weighing 30 – 35 kg each consisting of high-grade and low-grade samples from the Refractory and the Graphene Battery mineralized zones will be shipped to SGS in Lakefield. The main scope of the work program includes:
Sample Preparation
Chemical Characterisation
Comminution Testing
Flowsheet Development
Environmental Testing
The samples will be stage-crushed in a series of jaw and cone crushers to minimize the risk of flake degradation and fines generation. Samples will be extracted for comminution testing, chemical characterization, and the generation of two Master composites.
Bond ball mill grindability tests will be carried out to establish grinding energy requirements to assist in the design of the preliminary comminution circuit.
Scoping level flowsheet development testing will be carried out on the two Master composites to establish a conceptual flowsheet. The primary objectives of the flowsheet development program are to maximize the graphite recovery into a flotation concentrate while minimizing flake degradation. The final concentrates will be subjected to size fraction analyses to determine the flake size distribution and total carbon grade profile of the two mineralized zones.
The high-grade and low-grade samples of the two mineralized zones will be subjected to variability flotation testing using the flowsheet and conditions that were developed for the two Master composites. Since a flowsheet must be able to treat all domains encountered in a deposit, these variability tests serve the purpose of assessing the robustness of the proposed flowsheet.
Static geochemical tests will be carried out to assess the acid-generating potential of the La Loutre tailings with and without a sulphide rejection circuit.
Lomiko’s Near Term Goals
Graphite demand is expected to increase exponentially for the mined natural graphite material, as more is used in the production of spherical graphite for graphite in the anode portion of Electric Vehicle Lithium-ion batteries.
Lomiko completed a $ 750,000 financing October 23, 2020 and plans to work on its near-term goals:
1) Complete 100% Acquisition of the Property, currently 80% owned by Lomiko Metals.
2) Complete metallurgy and graphite characterization to confirm li-ion anode grade material.
3) Complete a Technical Report to confirm that the extent of the mineralization equals or surpasses the nearby Imerys Mine, owned by international mining conglomerate.
A “technical report” means a report prepared and filed in accordance with this Instrument and Form 43-101F1 Technical Report, and includes, in summary form, all material scientific and technical information in respect of the subject property as of the effective date of the technical report;
4) Complete Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA)
A PEA means a study, other than a pre-feasibility or feasibility study, that includes an economic analysis of the potential viability of mineral resources.
Posted by AGORACOM
at 10:20 AM on Friday, November 20th, 2020
SPONSOR: Lomiko Metals is focused on the exploration and development of minerals for the new green economy such as lithium and graphite. Lomiko has an option for 100% of the high-grade La Loutre graphite Property, Lac Des Iles Graphite Property and the 100% owned Quatre Milles Graphite Property. Lomiko is uniquely poised to supply the growing EV battery market. Click Here For More Information
The Guardian claims that the West Midlands, south Wales, and the north-east of England are among the regions all vying to be home to the United Kingdom’s first battery gigafactory, part of a £1 billion automotive transformation bid by the country.
According to The Guardian, industry actors are growing impatient with the UK Government which has yet to fully commit to EV batteries, despite a vague £1 billion committed for an Automotive Transformation Fund.
Gigafactories – a term coined by industry darling Elon Musk which simply refers to a large battery manufacturing facility – are expected to be a key component in any major economy’s efforts to transition towards a low carbon way of life, but without government backing are left reliant solely upon industry to take up the mantle.
Which is not to say that industry is not taking up the mantle, but government backing and financial support is vital if the automotive industry, for example, is to be able to transition quickly enough to the large-scale battery manufacturing required to deliver anticipated demand.
Carmakers around the world are finding themselves under increasing pressure to offer more electric vehicle options, which in turn requires ever more EV batteries.
As current demand increases, future demand is made more secure, and when future demand is secured, governments and industry are more willing to make long-term commitments.
“You’ve got to look at the demand picture,” said Julian Hetherington, director of automotive transformation at the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC), the body in charge of disbursing UK government investment in the sector, speaking to The Guardian. “People will make commitments when they’re certain they’ll have offtake [of batteries].”
The APC, along with Innovate UK, as well as the UK’s Departments for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and for International Trade, outlined the Automotive Transformation Fund earlier this year, a new programme which has allocated £1 billion “to put the UK at the centre of the global transition to zero emissions.”
Specifically, the Fund is intended to “support the large-scale industrialisation of an electrified supply chain.”
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, according to The Guardian, is expected to address the automotive sector with a 10-point plan as soon as this week, while the newspaper speculated that a commitment to support a gigafactory in one of the country’s regions could form part of Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s spending review on 25 November.
Currently, the majority of the world’s EV batteries are being made overseas – with China, Japan, and South Korea accounting for 85% of the world’s EV battery manufacturing, according to an October Greenpeace report – which risks automotive employment shrinking in markets which are not manufacturing their own EV batteries.
If countries traditionally used to manufacturing ICE vehicles suddenly find themselves no longer manufacturing key components for EV vehicles, a major component of a country’s economy and workforce could suffer.
Plans for British gigafactories are few and far between. Currently, EV battery manufacturing in the UK is led by a 2GWh annual capacity factory alongside Nissan’s car factory in Sunderland.
A joint venture announced in 2018 between Williams Advanced Engineering and Unipart Manufacturing Group outlined a plan to build another battery making facility in Coventry to build 10,000 battery packs a year, and Unipart has also been chosen as a key player in Jaguar Land Rover’s battery assembly plant.
However, the biggest plans currently in the open are those between British start-ups AMTE Power and Britishvolt, who signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in May which could eventually yield a gigafactory with a potential 35GWh capacity.
Posted by AGORACOM
at 9:04 AM on Tuesday, November 17th, 2020
Vancouver, B.C., Nov. 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lomiko Metals Inc. (“Lomiko”) (TSX-V: LMR, OTC: LMRMF, FSE: DH8C) is focused on the exploration and development of flake graphite in Quebec for the new green economy. Lomiko is pleased to announce the Board of Directors has formed a Technical, Safety, and Sustainability Committee (“LTSSC”), reporting to the Board of Directors. At the time of formation, the LTSCC is comprised of A. Paul Gill, CEO, and two Independent Directors, Gabriel Erdelyi and Julius Galik.
LTSSC Committee Responsibilities
The LTSSC will oversee the assessment of the La Loutre Flake Graphite Property, and liaise with service providers, technical staff and stakeholders to put forward a series of crucial technical documents including, but not limited to, a Scope of Work (SOW), Graphite Characterization and Metallurgy, Response for Proposal (RFP) on a Preliminary Economic Assessment, and, if required, pre-feasibility, bulk samples, pilot plant, feasibility and construction plans. The Committee will govern the hiring of technical staff, liaise with extra-company agencies and representatives, and provide a conduit to the Board of Directors to make crucial decisions on the project.
Further additions to the Committee and the Lomiko team are anticipated and will be announced when confirmed.
Lomiko’s Near Term Goals
Graphite demand is expected to increase exponentially for the mined natural graphite material, as more is used in the production of spherical graphite for graphite in the anode portion of Electric Vehicle Lithium-ion batteries.
Lomiko completed a $ 750,000 financing October 23, 2020 and plans to work on its near-term goals:
1) Complete 100% Acquisition of the Property, currently 80% owned by Lomiko Metals.
2) Complete metallurgy and graphite characterization to confirm li-ion anode grade material.
3) Complete a Technical Report to confirm that the extent of the mineralization equals or surpasses the nearby Imerys Mine, owned by an international mining conglomerate.
A “technical report” means a report prepared and filed in accordance with this Instrument and Form 43-101F1 Technical Report, and includes, in summary form, all material scientific and technical information in respect of the subject property as of the effective date of the technical report;
4) Complete Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA)
A PEA means a study, other than a pre-feasibility or feasibility study, that includes an economic analysis of the potential viability of mineral resources.
Posted by AGORACOM
at 4:50 PM on Wednesday, November 4th, 2020
SPONSOR: Lomiko Metals is focused on the exploration and development of minerals for the new green economy such as lithium and graphite. Lomiko has an option for 100% of the high-grade La Loutre graphite Property, Lac Des Iles Graphite Property and the 100% owned Quatre Milles Graphite Property. Lomiko is uniquely poised to supply the growing EV battery market. Click Here For More Information
Electrification, online learning, alternative credentials and low-cost degrees at scale.
What about this $112,595 1,000-horsepower electric vehicle, this still unknown price or specifications e-bike, has anything to do with colleges and universities? The answer to this question depends on how you think about the future of higher ed.
For cars and trucks, the destination of the future is clear, if not the timing. Eventually, at some point, batteries will replace internal combustion. Electric cars are not only emissions-free, they contain exponentially fewer moving parts than traditional vehicles. The electric car or truck of the future will be simpler to produce and will have few parts to break down. This simplicity and reliability will eventually drive down the total costs of ownership.
How long the transition to electric vehicles takes will depend on how long it takes for battery technology to improve. While coming down in price quickly, batteries large enough to power a car for any reasonable range are still hugely expensive. Beyond range anxiety, charging times remain significantly longer than filling up a gas tank, and the charging infrastructure is nowhere near as built out as gas stations.
The Hummer EV is straight out of the Tesla playbook for vehicle electrification. Start with a high-priced luxury model and then use those revenues to drive down the production costs for less expensive models. Nobody needs a $112,000 electric truck. I highly doubt that almost any Hummer EV buyers will drive the thing off-road. The Hummer EV is a status symbol, pure and simple. We may think that this thing is ridiculously over-the-top, but if it helps get us to the transition to affordable electric vehicles, we are happy that GM is going for it.
In higher ed, neither the future destination nor timing is as clear as it is with cars and trucks. There are no direct analogs for internal combustion engines or batteries across the postsecondary ecosystem.
However, we can make some broad projections about the dominant trends shaping the future of higher education. As with the need to move away from internal combustion due to the necessity to decarbonize in the face of a climate emergency, higher ed faces its own reckoning in the form of demographic shifts and diminished public funding. The environment that almost every college and university must navigate will only get more challenging in the years to come. The declining number of high school graduates in the Northeast and Midwest, combined with dwindling state support levels, will force schools to evolve their business models.
Just as GM is not doing away with gas-powered cars, colleges and universities will not abandon their core residential degree programs. These residential degree programs, however, will be increasingly joined and supplemented by online programs. Schools have no choice but to go after new markets for students, especially at the master’s level. The full-time master’s student will still exist but in ever-diminishing proportions. The future of graduate school belongs to the adult working professional, and that means online programs.
The question is, will most schools stop at online learning? I don’t think so. We are likely to see an industrywide shift to both alternative online credentials (certificates) and lower-cost online degrees at scale. If online education is like vehicle batteries, alternative credentials and low-cost scaled degrees are like autonomous driving. The future of mobility is not only electric but also self-driving (and perhaps ride sharing).
Today, autonomous vehicles are still controversial. Nobody knows when the self-driving future will arrive, and automakers are pursuing different strategies to develop these technologies. Alternative online credentials and low-cost degrees at scale are similarly controversial within higher ed. Some schools are going all out in creating that future. Others are hanging back. Like auto companies, colleges and universities that wait too long to develop the capabilities for certificates/scaled degrees might find themselves on the wrong side of the future.
What about the electric bicycle from Harley-Davidson? I think that lesson here is about a willingness to experiment. Harley might find that e-bikes serve as a gateway drug to electric motorcycles. Who knows. A technology-forward electric bike will make the Harley brand relevant to a segment of consumers that doesn’t think much about motorcycles.
Too often, colleges and universities are afraid to experiment in adjacent sectors (motorcycles to e-bikes) out of fear of damaging their brands. Many more colleges and universities could be following the lead of Georgia Tech or Boston University or Illinois by offering affordable online degrees at scale. We don’t know if these scaled online programs can be delivered with high quality or if offering them reduces the demand for existing residential programs.
The only way to figure this out, however, is to experiment. If a company as traditional as Harley-Davidson can try something new with an e-bike, shouldn’t we be willing to do the same?
Posted by AGORACOM
at 9:29 AM on Monday, October 26th, 2020
Lomiko Metals Inc. is focused on the exploration and development of graphite for the new green economy. Lomiko has been monitoring emerging legislation aimed at reducing dependence on Chinese supply of graphite, lithium and other electric vehicle battery materials. One hundred per cent of graphite is currently imported to the United States as there are no domestic graphite mines able to produce material for graphite anodes used in electric vehicles. Please also refer to news releases dated Sept. 9, 2020, and Oct. 7, 2020, related to changing government policies regarding critical minerals.
U.S. Election Bonus for Critical Minerals Mining
In a boon for the critical minerals mining industry, former vice-president and current presidential frontrunner Joe Biden’s campaign has privately told U.S. miners it would support boosting domestic production of metals used to make electric vehicles, solar panels and other products crucial to his climate plan, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
Mr. Biden, who served as Barack Obama’s vice-president and is well regarded in conservation circles, has been expected to continue in that vein. The U.S. Democratic presidential candidate also supports bipartisan efforts to foster a domestic supply chain for graphite, lithium, copper, rare earths, nickel and other strategic materials that the United States imports from China and other countries, the sources said. Mr. Biden is also well regarded by the Canadian government on issues of mining and green energy which has a Canada-U.S. supply strategy agreement.
On Sept. 28, 2020, Canadian ministers discussed opportunities to drive Canada’s natural resources advantage by building on Canada’s strong environmental, social and governance performance record to attract investment, generate new value chains and create job opportunities across Canada, including for indigenous businesses and communities. Ministers agreed that an inclusive approach that builds capacity and ensures diversity is a key ingredient to Canada’s successful economic recovery.
Co-chaired by Seamus O’Regan, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, and Ranj Pillai, Deputy Premier and Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources for Yukon, they agreed to work together to build an all-Canadian critical minerals and battery value chain across sectors and pursue engagement with Lomiko’s partners in the United States and beyond.
“Canada’s economy is in a strong position to recover and excel post-COVID because of our natural resource potential. All communities across Canada should play a part, whether it is contributing critical minerals to the supply chain, advancing innovative energy development, or adding jobs and capacity to our remote and northern communities,” said Mr. Pillai.
Lomiko’s opportunity in the supply chain
Graphite demand is expected to increase exponentially for the mined natural graphite material, as more is used in the production of spherical graphite for graphite in the anode portion of electric vehicle lithium-ion batteries.
With the completion of a $750,000 financing on Oct. 23, 2020, Lomiko plans to work on its near-term goals as follows:
Complete 100-per-cent acquisition of the property, currently 80 per cent owned by Lomiko Metals;
Complete metallurgy and graphite characterization to confirm lithium-ion anode-grade material;
Complete a technical report to confirm the extent of the mineralization equals or surpasses the nearby Imerys mine, owned by an international mining conglomerate;
Posted by AGORACOM
at 8:28 AM on Wednesday, October 7th, 2020
Lomiko Metals Inc. (“Lomiko”) (TSX-V: LMR, OTC: LMRMF, FSE: DH8C) is focused on the exploration and development of graphite for the new green economy. Lomiko has been monitoring actions by government in Canada and the USA that are focused on reducing dependence on Chinese supply of graphite, lithium and other electric vehicle battery materials. Canada and the USA have worked closely and confirmed supply agreements between the two countries.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here:
“…the United States is 100 percent reliant on imports for graphite, which is used to make advanced batteries for cellphones, laptops, and hybrid and electric cars. China produces over 60 percent of the world’s graphite and almost all of the world’s production of high-purity graphite needed for rechargeable batteries.”
“(i) the United States develops secure critical minerals supply chains that do not depend on resources or processing from foreign adversaries;
(ii) the United States establishes, expands, and strengthens commercially viable critical minerals mining and minerals processing capabilities; and
(iii) the United States develops globally competitive, substantial, and resilient domestic commercial supply chain capabilities for critical minerals mining and processing.”
In September, Congressmen Lance Gooden (R-TX) and Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX) recently introduced a bill that seeks to decrease the U.S.’s dependence on China for critical metals. The bill, dubbed the Reclaiming American Rare Earths (RARE) Act, aims to establish tax incentives for domestic production of rare earths.
The Congressmen statement sounds the alarm regarding critical metals production: “The United States is more dependent than ever on the importation of the resources that drive our economy, enable us to build advanced technology, and ensure our national security,” Gooden’s office said in a release. “Thirty-five of these rare earth minerals are designated by the Department of Interior as ‘critical’, and we source fourteen of them entirely from foreign suppliers. China is a leading supplier for twenty-two of the thirty-five. The RARE Act is specifically designed to change that.”
Earlier this year, Sen. Ted Cruz introduced similar legislation, dubbed the Onshoring Rare Earths Act of 2020, or ORE Act. Further, on December 18, 2019 Canada announced that it had joined the U.S.-led multilateral Energy Resource Governance Initiative (ERGI). ERGI aims to support secure and resilient supply chains for critical minerals by identifying options to diversify supply chains and facilitate trade and industry connections.
Canada, and especially Quebec, are perfectly situated to supply the U.S. with many of the critical minerals it is seeking to secure due to an extensive selection of mineral projects. Also, strong political and economic ties, a stable political, economic and regulatory environment and a robust metals and mining sector. Of the 35 critical metals identified by the U.S., Canada is a sizable supplier of 13 of such minerals including graphite, lithium and manganese to the U.S. and the second-largest supplier of niobium, tungsten and magnesium. Canada also supplies approximately one quarter of the U.S. uranium needs.
“Initial indications are that La Loutre Graphite Property is high-quality and high-grade and thus worthy of development.” stated A. Paul Gill, CEO. “The only operating graphite mine in North America which is the Imerys Graphite & Carbon at Lac-des-Îles, is 30 miles northwest of La Loutre and has operated for 30 years. It reported proven reserves of 5.2 M Tonnes at a grade of 7.42 % Cg in July 1988 before the start of production.” (Reference: Potentiel de la minéralisation en graphite au Québec, N’Golo Togola, MERN, page 31, Conférence Québec Mines, November 24 2016).
Graphite demand is expected to increase exponentially for the mined natural graphite material, as more is used in the production of spherical graphite for graphite in the anode portion of Electric Vehicle Lithium-ion batteries. The near-term goals of the company are as follows:
1) Complete 100% Acquisition of the Property, currently 80% owned by Lomiko Metals.
2) Complete metallurgy and graphite characterization to confirm li-ion anode grade material.
3) Complete a Technical Report to confirm the extent of the mineralization equals or surpasses the nearby Imerys Mine, owned by international mining conglomerate.
A “technical report” means a report prepared and filed in accordance with this Instrument and Form 43-101F1 Technical Report, and includes, in summary form, all material scientific and technical information in respect of the subject property as of the effective date of the technical report;
4) Complete Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA)
A PEA means a study, other than a pre-feasibility or feasibility study, that includes an economic analysis of the potential viability of mineral resources.
We seek safe harbor. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange), accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Posted by AGORACOM
at 10:01 AM on Tuesday, October 6th, 2020
DONALD TRUMP SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER ON THE SUPPLY OF CRITICAL MINERALS Mr. Simon Moores, pictured above, has been covering critical elements for many years and has presented to the US Senate on Critical Metals Supply. There is no doubt that this group has played a major role in alerting the US government to supply issues. Read about the critical work of Benchmark Mineral Intelligence here.
Stocks to Watch: Lomiko Metals Inc. $LMR Manganese X $MN Critical Elements $CRE Excerpts from Executive Order: “the United States is 100 percent reliant on imports for graphite, which is used to make advanced batteries for cellphones, laptops, and hybrid and electric cars. China produces over 60 percent of the world’s graphite and almost all of the world’s production of high-purity graphite needed for rechargeable batteries.” (i) the United States develops secure critical minerals supply chains that do not depend on resources or processing from foreign adversaries; (ii) the United States establishes, expands, and strengthens commercially viable critical minerals mining and minerals processing capabilities; and (iii) the United States develops globally competitive, substantial, and resilient domestic commercial supply chain capabilities for critical minerals mining and processing. Link to Full Executive OrderCEO A. Paul Gill was recently interviewed by The TMX Group which owns the Toronto Stock Exchange. See below.
Posted by AGORACOM
at 3:12 PM on Wednesday, September 30th, 2020
Lomiko Metals (LMR: TSXV) has discovered high-grade graphite at its La Loutre property in Quebec and is working toward a Pre-Economic Assessment to increase the current resource to 10m/t of 10% Cg (graphite) in order to supply the future demand needs of a burgeoning metals battery market.
LOMIKO METALS Paul A. Gill:
“Initial indications are that La Loutre Graphite Property is high-quality and high-grade and thus worthy of development.” stated A. Paul Gill, CEO. “The only operating graphite mine in North America which is the Imerys Graphite & Carbon at Lac-des-Îles, is 30 miles northwest of La Loutre and has operated for 30 years.
Lomiko is in an ideal position to participate in the Electrical Vehicle market with the potential to become a North American supplier of graphite materials for the emerging battery EV battery market. Here is why:
WoodMac – Graphite…..forecasts that the battery sector would make up more than 35% of demand by 2030, with demand growing by 1.6 million tonnes by that date.
Simon Moores – “There is no doubt now that regardless of how well Tesla’s vehicles continue to sell, raw material availability will be the primary slowing factor on the company scaling.”
Wood Mackenzie highlight the demand impact battery production will have on the raw materials required. ” When it comes to graphite, the report forecasts that the battery sector would make up more than 35% of demand by 2030, with demand growing by 1.6 million tonnes by that date.
2 Reasons Why Battery Demand is Key to Lomiko’s Growth
2019 to 2030 demand increase forecast for EV metals as the EV boom takes off – ‘Battery’ graphite demand forecast to grow 10x.
Posted by AGORACOM
at 2:07 PM on Monday, September 28th, 2020
SPONSOR: Lomiko Metals is focused on the exploration and development of minerals for the new green economy such as lithium and graphite. Lomiko has an option for 100% of the high-grade La Loutre graphite Property, Lac Des Iles Graphite Property and the 100% owned Quatre Milles Graphite Property. Lomiko is uniquely poised to supply the growing EV battery market. Click Here For More Information
The company plans to offer a $25,000 vehicle in three years, officials say.
Tesla has announced new, internally-produced batteries for its electric cars, signaling a major shift from the automaker that, if successful, could significantly reduce the cost of electric vehicles.
“I think it’s the way all electric cars in the future will be made,” said CEO Elon Musk at Tesla’s “Battery Day” event outside its production facility in Freemont, California, on Tuesday.
Tesla’s new battery cell features a “tabless” design, which the company claims will provide five times the energy, six times the power, and 16% more range compared to its old battery cell.
The company’s current vehicles use batteries sourced from suppliers like Panasonic, where the energy stored in the battery pack is transferred to the car’s drivetrain via a conductive metal tab.
The new battery pack accomplishes the same thing by using a design that integrates a series of small bumps and spikes, which the company hopes will eliminate the need for a tab, and consequently drive down costs and production time. Musk tweeted the tech is “way more important than it sounds,” after the patent was approved back in May.
Courtesy of Tesla Elon Musk conducts Tesla’s “Battery Day” event outside its production facility in Freemont, Calif., S… Elon Musk conducts Tesla’s “Battery Day” event outside its production facility in Freemont, Calif., Sept. 22, 2020.
“This is not just a concept or a rendering; we are starting to ramp up manufacturing of these cells at our pilot ten gigawatt-hour production facility,” said Drew Baglino, Tesla’s Senior Vice President, Powertrain and Energy Engineering.
Tesla also said the new batteries would be 56% less expensive to manufacture and are being developed entirely in-house.
“They own the whole widget,” said Car and Driver Senior Editor of Technology Roberto Baldwin, “which is what gives them the ability to control every aspect, and to tweak as much efficiency as they can out of everything — out of their batteries, out of their motors, out of their inverters.”
Tesla’s investment in its own battery technology doesn’t mean it’s ramping down partnerships with other battery producers, Musk said. In a tweet prior to Tuesday’s event, the CEO said the company plans to “increase, not reduce battery cell purchases from Panasonic, LG & CATL (possibly other partners too.)” He also said the company is predicting shortages in battery cells from those suppliers and is ramping up in-house efforts to mitigate those shortfalls.
Musk said during the event that Tesla is planning to produce 100 gigawatt-hours of battery cells per year by 2022, and three terawatt-hours of cells per year by 2030.
“It allows us to make a lot more cars and a lot more stationary storage,” he said.
Bringing down the cost of battery production is part of Tesla’s plan to eventually sell 20 million vehicles annually — about fifty times more than they sell now, the company said.
“I think twenty million is doable,” said Car and Driver’s Baldwin. “As long as they can continue to grow, and continue to invest and sort of stay ahead of everyone.”
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Tesla Superchargers charge vehicles in Petaluma, Calif. on Sept. 23, 2020. Tesla Superchargers charge vehicles in Petaluma, Calif. on Sept. 23, 2020.
Part of that 20 million vehicle goal will come from a Tesla model the company is planning to sell for $25,000, expected to be available in about three years. The car, which would undercut Tesla’s current Model 3 sedan as the brand’s cheapest vehicle, would be fully autonomous, Musk said.
“It was always our goal to try to make an affordable electric car,” said Musk.
Musk said that while production on the new batteries is underway, it will take between a year and 18 months to fully ramp up production, and even longer for the technology to show up in actual vehicles.
However, “Tesla has repeatedly set timetables and timelines, and then they’ve missed them,” said Baldwin.
The Model 3 faced significant delays as the company ramped up production in 2017. Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic earlier this year, Tesla has also pushed back planned releases for its “Semi” truck and “Roadster” sports car. But Baldwin says the company is making improvements, noting that the Model Y crossover was released ahead of schedule.
“On the one hand, they’re taking all the learnings they’ve gotten over the past ten, twelve years, and they’re using that to make their batteries better,” Baldwin said. “But there’s still the potential this could be delayed another year, another four years.”
Tesla’s battery announcement comes at a time of increased competition in the electric vehicle market. Earlier this month, Lucid, an EV startup founded by the former head of engineering for Tesla’s own Model S sedan, unveiled an electric sedan called the Air, with a claimed 503 miles of range. General Motors’ “Ultium” battery pack, which the company unveiled earlier this year, is set to underpin 13 new electric vehicle models across four brands, starting with a new “HUMMER” pickup truck.
Volkswagen also says it plans to produce 1.5 million EVs annually by 2025, and unveiled the ID4, an electric crossover SUV that’s expected to have 310 miles of range, on Wednesday.