Abstract
Given recent initiatives such as the Inflatiion Reduction Act (IRA), plans to build a domestic battery and EV industry in North America have accelerated, but securing battery material supply chains (especially pCAM and CAMs) will be the key bottleneck to overcome. As high nickel-based cathode chemistries are expected to be the dominate choice for European and U.S. automakers, securing nickel supply will be paramount. The problem is that there is little to no nickel mine production in the U.S. and the global EV industry is becoming increasing dependent on mining class 1 nickel from nickel laterites from Indonesia and other countries that would not meet the critical materials requirement for the EV tax credit. However, it is just not nickel that is the problem as the move to LFP could also create supply chain woes.