Dive Brief:
- Lucid Group has signed a second agreement with Graphite One for U.S.-sourced materials needed for lithium-ion batteries as the electric car maker seeks to strengthen its domestic supply chain, according to a June 4 press release.
- The latest agreement will provide Lucid and its battery cell suppliers with natural graphite from the Graphite Creek deposit north of Nome, Alaska, where Graphite One expects to begin production in 2028, per the release.
- The deal complements a 2024 pact in which Graphite One agreed to provide Lucid and its battery cell suppliers with graphite processed for use in battery anodes, starting in 2028, the release said. The active anode material (AAM) would come from Graphite One's planned plant in Warren, Ohio.
Dive Insight:
Lucid has increased U.S.-based battery-electric-vehicle production as part of its strategy for weathering tariff uncertainty. Executives have highlighted the company's efforts to localize critical supplies, including the transition to Panasonic's Kansas battery facility and the sourcing of domestic graphite through partnerships with Graphite One and Syrah Resources.
Beginning next year, Syrah will supply AAM from its production facility in Vidalia, Louisiana, under a three-year deal with Lucid, per the release.
"A supply chain of critical materials within the United States drives our nation's economy, increases our independence against outside factors or market dynamics, and supports our efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of our vehicles," Lucid interim CEO Marc Winterhoff said in the release.
Establishing supplier networks to build EV batteries has been a trend encompassing both traditional automakers and EV-only makers, such as Lucid. For example, Nissan Motor Corp. and SK On signed a battery deal in March.
The previous deal between Lucid and Graphite One is a non-binding supply agreement, pending Graphite One's commencement of AAM graphite production at the Ohio facility, according to the Canadian company's annual Management's Discussion and Analysis document, filed in April.
If successful, the Lucid and Graphite One partnership would establish a U.S. source of graphite materials for EV batteries for the carmaker. However, Hunan Chenyu Fuji New Energy Technology, an AAM manufacturer based in Changsha, China, would play a critical role in supporting the partnership.
Graphite One signed a technology licensing agreement and a consulting agreement with Chenyu last October, according to the MD&A document. Chenyu agreed to assist in the design, construction and operation of the Ohio facility. Additionally, Chenyu would receive quarterly royalties for its technology used in AAM manufacturing.
