Stellantis Gets Lithium Supply for NA EVs

Republicans oppose the Biden Administration’s Build Back Better plan, which would hasten the EV transition and help stop life-threatening weather.

Stellantis N.V. (NYSE / MTA / Euronext Paris: STLA) and Controlled Thermal Resources Ltd. (CTR) have signed a binding offtake agreement for CTR to supply battery-grade lithium hydroxide for use in Stellantis’ North American electrified vehicle production.

The agreement increases Stellantis’ decarbonized supply of  an essential raw material for electrified vehicles. (AutoInformed.com: Stellantis, Samsung SDI JV for NA Battery Manufacturing; Stellantis, LG Energy JV for North American Battery Production)

CTR’s Hell’s Kitchen Project at the Salton Sea in California’s Imperial County will recover lithium from geothermal brines using renewable energy and steam to produce battery grade lithium products in a closed-loop process, eliminating the need for evaporation brine ponds, open pit mines, and fossil-fueled processing, Stellantis claimed.

CTR will supply Stellantis with up to 25,000 metric tons per year of lithium hydroxide over the 10-year term of the agreement. Stellantis announced in late 2021 a similar supply deal to support its European vehicle production* (AutoInformed.com:Stellantis Has Lithium Supply Deal with Vulcan Energy)

“In the fight against global warming, bolstering our battery electric vehicle supply chain to support our bold electrification ambitions is absolutely critical,” said Carlos Tavares, Stellantis CEO. (AutoInformed.com: Stellantis Ups Electrification Strategy by $35.54 Billion)

*Europe is arguably the fastest growing electric vehicle and lithium-ion battery production center in the world, and the world’s fastest growing lithium market. It has zero local supply, yet at the same time, automakers and governments are pushing for battery raw materials with a zero-carbon footprint. In the US, Republicans are opposing the Biden Administration’s Build Back Better plan, which would hasten the transition to EVs and help stop earth threatening weather extremes and global warming.