Tesla has formally began operations at its new lithium refining manufacturing facility in Texas, coming over a yr after the corporate first broke floor on the positioning.
On Saturday, the Tesla North America account on X introduced that, for the primary time, the group fed uncooked supplies by way of the kiln of its Robstown lithium refinery. The location, positioned exterior of Corpus Christi, is the primary large-scale refinery for battery-grade lithium within the U.S., and the primary industrial deployment of an acid-free lithium refining route, as detailed by Tesla in its unique announcement for the mission.
“This funding is crucial to our mission to speed up the world’s transition to sustainable vitality and represents our efforts to aggressively enhance the availability of battery-grade lithium hydroxide out there in North America,” the corporate writes.
Upon reaching quantity manufacturing, the lithium refinery is predicted to supply round 50 GWh of battery-grade lithium yearly.
Credit score: Tesla North America | X
READ MORE ON TESLA LITHIUM: Tesla’s proposed TX lithium refinery takes step ahead as faculty district ratifies tax abatements
Some additionally seen that there was a Tesla Cybercab within the background of the image posted alongside the announcement, following the corporate’s official unveiling of the two-seat robotaxi in October.
Tesla is at present hiring on the Robstown, Texas facility, and you’ll find the corporate’s open job listings on its careers web page.
Tesla broke floor on the lithium refining facility final Could, although the corporate has been making regular progress on development all through a lot of this yr. The location was initially aiming to start out manufacturing in Q1 this yr, with development valued at roughly $375 million.
The information additionally comes because the U.S. and different North American and European markets goal to lower reliance on China for the processing of minerals for electrical car (EV) batteries. Whereas plans for extra lithium refineries are underway within the U.S., and there are a handful of energetic and deliberate lithium mining websites, this manufacturing facility represents an necessary step towards making home manufacturing of EV batteries a actuality.
In line with an October report from Reuters, China makes up round two-thirds of the world’s lithium chemical output, as is utilized in batteries for EVs, in addition to telephones, computer systems, and lots of different shopper electronics.
What are your ideas? Let me know at [email protected], discover me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or ship us suggestions at [email protected].
Tesla provider Piedmont Lithium good points mining approval in North Carolina
