Why in the heck is there not a Lifepo4 cell manufacturer in the USA?

[Steve_S]

Quite a lot of mis-information, confusion and even PURE FUD in this thread, even with a nasty low key Racist Undertone in a couple of responses.

TESLA will NEVER use LiPo ! Whoever got that notion... DERP ! Their formulations are reducing cobalt and intending to eliminate it altogether, in fact, at present their usage of Cobalt per cell is the lowest going.
The CATL CTP's (Cell to Pack) is LFP Chemistry
The BYD Blade Packs are LFP.

2021 USA gets a New Federal Government. One not trying to hold onto Coal, Gas & Oil & the 20th Century Nostalgia but LOOKING at the 21st Century and the Future. Having a Friendly Federal Government that supports the Business Case for RE Technologies, including Battery Manufacturing will ALLOW the USA to play CATCH UP as the last 4 years have RETARDED Progress on a Huge Scale. It's going to be a Hard Slog from the back of the pack and the marathon has a LONG WAY TO GO !

Had all the Bailout Money that was wasted on propping up Coal and Oil & Gas been redirected to retraining those workers and refocussing on RE Resources the picture today would have been quite different. LESSON TO LEARN and Mistakes NOT to Repeat. What is Done if Done, time to MOVE ON & FORWARD !

There is a Huge Movement in Europe on Battery Manufacturing for ALL Types. Asia in General and India is also going LARGE. Some Factories are going in a few African Nations as well.

Australia - Another REGRESSIVE who produces the most Lithium out there has NO Battery Manufacturing ! But their Gov still Loves their coal, even though no one wants it... They are only NOW getting their 1st Lithium Battery Maker... a Whopping "28 Million Dollar" FARCE when you consider other factories are going up in Europe with Billions of Dollars being invested... Gotta Wonder.
Go ahead for Australia’s first lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility | Energy Magazine

 

[svetz]

Haven't read through the thread but will do so now for moderation purposes.

Moderators can't be everywhere. Please help by reporting anything racist/political/etc. It has no business on these forums and will be deleted.

Quite a lot of mis-information, confusion and even PURE FUD in this thread,

This one is trickier and we don't like to stifle thought, but we also don't want to propagate false information. Will means his forums to be a learning tool, not a propaganda junk yard.

Great claims require a reference link, so if in doubt as to the accuracy of information please ask for a reference link. If refuting a claim, please don't descend into he-said/she-said, just state the truth and cite a legitimate reference source (typically published/peer-reviewed papers or those who have a good reputation and interest in accuracy.

 

[Sverige]

Here in Sweden we have a lot of the same issues mentioned earlier in the thread as drawbacks to prevent manufacturing within the USA. Certainly labour costs here are among the highest in Europe and i’d guess much higher than the US.

Nevertheless we have Northvolt building a massive EV cell manufacturing facility just down the road from me. I’m not sure where it ranks in the global league tables - not the biggest for sure - but it must mean the economics of manufacturing such cells in the West must stack up.

 

[Oxidetoiron]

This news may be related to this discussion. Recent news I just came across today on a new lithium extraction process being used in Nevada.....
Nevada lithium mine.

 

[Pappion]

About a decade ago I invested in a penny stock startup that bought Nevada mineral leases. I got outbecause they did not have the capital to develop it. AARGH, months later a Chinese company bought them out. I could have tripled my money.

 

[Ampster]

I could have tripled my money.

My Danish great grand mother grub staked miners heading to the Idaho gold and silver mines in the early 1900s. When she died in 1948 her estate had stock certificates for hundreds of mining companies, most of whom were long out of business. One company was still around and owned some land in Colorado. Eventually Mobil Oil purchased that property and it paid off. The moral to the story is if you have some luck and enough time something will happen.

 

[newbostonconst]

There used to be -- look up the history of A123 Systems.

The former assets of their plant in Romulus, Michigan are up for auction right now. If you want to open a manufacturing facility, just buy this and hire some skilled staff: https://www.bidspotter.com/en-us/auction-catalogues/maynards-usa/catalogue-id-bscmayn10108

I work next door to that plant....it was very clean and they have been pulling the equiptment out of it for the last couple years.

 

[JoeHam]

In addition to the multi billion dollar battery plant I mentioned in post #4 of this thread GM is reportedly looking at building another multi billion dollar plant in Tennessee.

See here:

GM in talks to build second U.S. battery plant with LG Chem in Tennessee

General Motors Co said on Thursday it is considering building a second battery factory in the United States with South Korean joint-venture partner LG Chem Ltd.

www.reuters.com

 

[JoeHam]

And here is drone footage of the Ohio plant construction as of last month:

Auto industry analysts call GM battery plant in Lordstown, 'Significant'

The battery plant will be only the second in the United States near the size of Tesla's Gigafactory in Nevada.

www.wfmj.com

 

[Batvette]

Quite a lot of mis-information, confusion and even PURE FUD in this thread, even with a nasty low key Racist Undertone in a couple of responses.

TESLA will NEVER use LiPo ! Whoever got that notion... DERP ! Their formulations are reducing cobalt and intending to eliminate it altogether, in fact, at present their usage of Cobalt per cell is the lowest going.
The CATL CTP's (Cell to Pack) is LFP Chemistry
The BYD Blade Packs are LFP.

2021 USA gets a New Federal Government. One not trying to hold onto Coal, Gas & Oil & the 20th Century Nostalgia but LOOKING at the 21st Century and the Future. Having a Friendly Federal Government that supports the Business Case for RE Technologies, including Battery Manufacturing will ALLOW the USA to play CATCH UP as the last 4 years have RETARDED Progress on a Huge Scale. It's going to be a Hard Slog from the back of the pack and the marathon has a LONG WAY TO GO !

Had all the Bailout Money that was wasted on propping up Coal and Oil & Gas been redirected to retraining those workers and refocussing on RE Resources the picture today would have been quite different. LESSON TO LEARN and Mistakes NOT to Repeat. What is Done if Done, time to MOVE ON & FORWARD !

There is a Huge Movement in Europe on Battery Manufacturing for ALL Types. Asia in General and India is also going LARGE. Some Factories are going in a few African Nations as well.

Australia - Another REGRESSIVE who produces the most Lithium out there has NO Battery Manufacturing ! But their Gov still Loves their coal, even though no one wants it... They are only NOW getting their 1st Lithium Battery Maker... a Whopping "28 Million Dollar" FARCE when you consider other factories are going up in Europe with Billions of Dollars being invested... Gotta Wonder.
Go ahead for Australia’s first lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility | Energy Magazine

As for Australia, a lot of countries produce raw materials primarily for export. Didnt know that was a problem?

 

[Steve_S]

Extracting & shipping raw materials is only one "Small" segment for cash flow.

- Processing & refining such materials = Industry, Jobs and Corporate & personal income taxes to the government while creating good long term work.
- Making ancillary components & materials from casings, wraps, to electrodes and terminals = more industry, again more corporate & personal taxes & long term jobs.
- Cell Manufacturing again is more jobs & income taxes...
- Cell sales & use = again more jobs taxes....
- Using DOMESTIC batteries versus Imports keeps the money WHERE ??? Not going to China, Korea, Japan or elsewhere.

Of Course, None of those jobs could be used for former Coal Workers who are losing their jobs with no future to look forward to. Just export those raw materials and keep the benefits to the nation to the absolute minimum possible.

Canada also has a Huge Amount of the needed resources, almost to the point of obscenity, yet only 0.05% of it is even being touched, even though numerous sites for the various minerals are identified right across the country. Our Government is "negotiating" to sell our Raw Resources as well while still backing Fossil Resources.

 

[svetz]

Locked the thread. Additional discussion was veering more off topic with "motivations" of members or governments.