Compilation / Ma Xiaolei
Edited / Meng for
Design / Zhao Haoran
Source/ Bloomberg, by Dana Hull, David Stringer
"Please mine more nickel." Two years ago, Musk urged miners on a revenue call, "As long as you can mine nickel efficiently and environmentally friendly, Tesla will give you a long-term big order." ”
Nickel is an important component of electric vehicle batteries, and Russia is one of the world's largest nickel producers, providing about 17% of the world's refined Grade 1 nickel. Since the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, the sanctions imposed on Russia by many countries have led to a shortage of nickel supplies.
Unlike most car companies, Tesla has long been collecting this metal around the world to ensure that it has an abundant supply of nickel.
Since 2021, it has signed cooperation agreements with several nickel miners, including a multi-year supply deal with mining giant Vale SA.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been vertically integrating the supply chain to maintain control of the supply chain. The company buys batteries from suppliers, but also produces them itself. For example, it co-operates a large battery cell factory with Japan's Panasonic Company in Reno, Nevada.
Moreover, the electric vehicle manufacturer is constantly pushing for technological advancements in raw material processing and battery manufacturing. In a speech in 2020, Tesla executives proposed shortening the processing path of raw materials from mining to finished products.
"Tesla's early layout in nickel is a hidden competitive advantage." Gene Munster, managing partner at Loup Ventures, said, "Tesla will continue to be ahead of the rest of the companies. ”
Musk has repeatedly said that tesla's most uneasy when increasing production is the supply of nickel, and this metal also gives headaches to the entire electric vehicle industry. According to Bloomberg NEF, demand for nickel in the battery industry is expected to jump from 400,000 tons this year to about 1.5 million tons by 2030.
Since the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict on February 24, nickel prices on the London Metal Exchange have climbed by 30% by the end of March. During this period, nickel prices tripled in two days due to the squeeze on the bears. If the war shows signs of an end, the market may stabilize.
A Bloomberg NEF report said: "The impact of the soaring nickel price and the Russian-Ukrainian conflict may force battery manufacturers, especially in the United States, to look for alternative supply chains." ”
In addition to its supply deal with Vale, Tesla has struck a number of deals with nickel miners around the world over the past year.
In January, Tesla pledged to buy 75,000 tons of refined nickel from Talon Metals' Minnesota mining project. Previously, the company struck a deal with BHP Group, the world's largest mining company, to buy materials from Australia and with a nickel mine operator in New Caledonia in the South Pacific.
Todd Malan, a spokesman for Talon Metals, said: "People may not yet realize how much Tesla is ahead when it comes to securing the supply of raw materials. ”
Vale said it has plans to increase sales in the electric vehicle market from 5 percent to 30 to 40 percent.
Nickel is a key component of the battery cathode of electric vehicles, Tesla mainly uses nickel-based in the battery cathode of long-endurance models, and iron phosphate base in ordinary vehicles.
On March 31, the White House confirmed U.S. President Joe Biden's plans to introduce the Defense Production Act to include battery materials in the list of projects covered to encourage domestic mining companies to mine key materials and production for power batteries.
This article was originally produced by Automotive Business Review
For reprint or content cooperation, please contact the instructions
Illegal reprints must be investigated
Scan the code to join the reader's WeChat group
Communicate about cars
CO to gasoline, electric car terminator?