Lucid, an Electric Vehicle Manufacturer, Forms US Battery Materials Alliance

Recently, electric vehicle manufacturer Lucid Group announced that it will collaborate with several key U.S. mineral producers to form the U.S. Battery Materials Alliance, aiming to accelerate the development and procurement of domestically sourced critical minerals needed for the American automotive industry.

This new alliance is called the "National Automotive Competitiveness Minerals Cooperation Plan" (MINAC), and its participants include Alaska Energy Metals, graphite company Graphite One, mineral exploration and development company Electric Metals, as well as battery materials company RecycLiCo.

Image source: Lucid

MINAC’s established objectives include: promoting domestic mineral production in the United States through offtake agreements; identifying and addressing obstacles in the commercialization process; strengthening collaboration between the mining and automotive industries; and supporting U.S. automakers and Tier 1 suppliers in the qualification and procurement of domestically produced materials.

The establishment of the MINAC alliance comes at a time when the automotive industry, particularly the electric vehicle sector, is under increasing pressure to ensure a reliable and compliant supply of critical minerals such as rare earths, nickel, graphite, and manganese. These minerals are core components of lithium-ion batteries, which power most electric vehicles. The collaboration aims to reduce dependency on foreign supply chains, particularly China, and enhance domestic manufacturing capabilities in the United States.

The participating mining companies in this alliance will leverage their professional expertise to achieve industrial complementarity. Alaska Energy Metals, headquartered in Anchorage, Alaska, is developing a large-scale nickel project. Nickel is a key material for high-energy-density batteries and helps extend vehicle range. Electric Metals USA focuses on the Emily manganese project in Minnesota. Manganese is used in lithium-ion battery cathodes, which can increase battery energy density, reduce costs, and improve thermal stability. Graphite One is working on building graphite production facilities in Ohio and northern Alaska, with production expected to begin in 2028. RecycLiCo specializes in hydrometallurgical technology for processing ores and recycling lithium-ion battery materials, aiming to extract lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese that can be directly used in battery manufacturing.

At the same time as the launch of the alliance, Lucid and its partners are holding a roundtable in Washington, D.C., attended by several U.S. governors and members of Congress.

Arizona Senator Mark Kelly stated about the plan, "Arizona is proud to have Lucid's advanced manufacturing facility, and I am pleased to see Lucid taking the lead in using domestically sourced materials to produce electric vehicles." He also mentioned that such cooperation will strengthen the supply chain and create jobs in the United States.