Author: Daniel Whitmore

LG Energy Solution is moving forward with plans to build a pilot production line for sodium-ion batteries at its factory in Nanjing, eastern China, as it evaluates the feasibility of mass production, South Korean media outlet ETNews reported on Tuesday. According to the report, the company will carry out research and development for next-generation batteries at its technology research institute in Daejeon before producing an initial prototype, known as Sample A, at its main “mother plant” in Ochang, North Chungcheong Province. Subsequent samples — including Sample B, described as a finished product, and Sample C, a version designed for mass…

Australia-based Syrah Resources and Tesla have agreed to extend, for a third time, the deadline to resolve an alleged breach of their graphite offtake agreement, as the companies continue to address technical challenges at Syrah’s US processing facility. According to Reuters, the revised “cure” deadline has been pushed to March 16, 2026, extending the original September 2025 timeline under the contract signed in 2021. The agreement covers the supply of 8,000 metric tons of active anode material per year over four years from Syrah’s Vidalia facility in Louisiana. Syrah said the extension reflects ongoing collaboration with Tesla to qualify battery-grade…

Ningbo Ronbay New Energy Technology said it is under investigation by China’s securities regulator following scrutiny of a recent major contract announcement involving CATL, the world’s largest producer of electric vehicle batteries. Ronbay disclosed in a stock exchange filing on Monday that it received an investigation notice from the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) on January 18 over suspected misleading statements related to its disclosure of a major supply agreement. The company said it will cooperate fully with the investigation and that its business operations are continuing as normal. See also: Changan Auto Group, CATL Deepen Strategic Partnership With Five-Year…

Mkango Resources and the University of Birmingham have commissioned a commercial facility in central England to recycle rare earth magnets, marking a step toward building domestic supply capacity for electric vehicles and other clean energy technologies. The plant, located at Tyseley Energy Park in Birmingham, separates and reprocesses used rare-earth magnets, recovering alloys that are then manufactured into new sintered magnets. The site expands on an earlier demonstration plant that processed batches of up to 100 kilograms, with the new facility capable of handling more than 400 kilograms per batch. Annual capacity is set at around 100 tonnes in single-shift…

New York City has approved plans for its largest publicly accessible electric vehicle (EV) charging station to date, to be built on a 2.6-acre site near John F. Kennedy International Airport, according to Electrek. The New York City Economic Development Corporation, or NYCEDC, said it finalized the sale of the city-owned parcel in late December to Wildflower, a New York-based developer focused on sustainable urban infrastructure. Wildflower paid $8.9 million for the land, which lies between the Nassau Expressway and Rockaway Boulevard, just north of John F. Kennedy International Airport. See also: Electrify America, NYPA Open 350 kW Charging Hub…

A key lithium mine operated by CATL is expected to resume production around the Chinese New Year in February, local media reported, following a shutdown in August that disrupted supply and pushed up lithium prices. CATL’s Jianxiawo lithium mine in Yichun, Jiangxi province, is likely to restart operations around the Lunar New Year holiday, local outlet Jiemian reported on Tuesday, citing sources close to the company. The 2026 Lunar New Year falls on Feb. 17, with the holiday period running from Feb. 15 to Feb. 23. CATL suspended production at the Jianxiawo mine on Aug. 10 after a key mining…

A group of electric vehicle charging infrastructure providers and equipment makers has established a new industry body, E-Mobility Deutschland e.V., aimed at representing the interests of the electromobility sector in policy discussions and public debate in Germany. Founding members include ABB E-mobility, Alpitronic, Aral Pulse, Electra, Engie Vianeo, Fastned, Ionity and Shell. The association said it will focus on supporting the expansion of public charging infrastructure while acting as a central point of contact for policymakers, authorities and other stakeholders. The association’s office will be based in Berlin. At its first general meeting on Dec. 19, members elected a board…