[SMM Nickel Market Flash] Tesla Expands US Battery Localization as Cybercab Uses Domestic Nickel Cathode

India, Malaysia and Thailand are not included in the European Commission’s draft authorization list for receiving certain ferrous and non-ferrous metal scrap from the EU. Under the revised EU Waste Shipment Regulation, exports of non-hazardous waste to non-OECD countries will generally be prohibited from May 21, 2027 unless the destination country has requested authorization and demonstrated environmentally sound waste management. The Commission opened consultation on the draft on September 18 and plans to adopt the first final list by the end of 2026.

EnerVenue is positioning its nickel-hydrogen technology to compete in the rapidly growing energy-storage market, where lithium iron phosphate batteries are widely used. The company sees advantages in cycle life, safety and performance under harsh operating conditions. As global storage demand expands, commercialization of non-lithium technologies is accelerating, bringing greater attention to nickel-based energy-storage systems.

EnerVenue, the company’s aqueous nickel-hydrogen batteries are designed for around 30,000 full charge-discharge cycles and a 30-year service life. The technology uses no lithium or rare earths and relies on a water-based electrolyte designed to reduce thermal-runaway and fire risks. EnerVenue is now extending a nickel-hydrogen chemistry historically used in aerospace applications into grid and industrial energy storage, opening another potential long-duration storage application for nickel.