GM will purchase Lithium for next-Generation Electric vehicle batteries in the United States

According to foreign media reports, GM has agreed to invest millions of dollars in Controlled Thermal Resources and has reached a partnership with the company to ensure access to low-cost lithium from California, a key raw material for GM Ultium batteries.

The investment is part of GM's commitment to spend $35 billion on electric and self-driving cars by 2025. The first phase of the project aims to produce lithium by 2024.

GM's Ultium battery will power its next generation of electric vehicles, and the GMC Hummer electric pickup truck, which will go on sale this fall, will be the first model with Ultium batteries. Ultium batteries are made of lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, copper, manganese and aluminum. Currently, GM uses lithium from Asia and South America.

GM said in a statement that, Controlled Thermal Resources will produce lithium through a closed-loop, direct extraction process, which can achieve lower carbon dioxide emissions than traditional mine mining or evaporation pool processes.

GM expects that the cooperation with Controlled Thermal Resources will reduce the impact on the environment. Tom Grewe, the company's head of electrification, told the media that as GM launches more cars based on Ultium batteries, it will become crucial to get local, high-quality and ethical suppliers.

Doug Parks, GM's executive vice president in charge of global product development, procurement and supply chain, said: "Lithium is critical to battery production and will only become more important in the future as consumers increase the adoption rate of electric vehicles. We will also accelerate towards the era of pure electric. Getting lithium supplies in the United States will help us produce powerful, affordable, and longer-lasting electric cars. At the same time, it will also help reduce the environmental impact and bring more low-cost lithium to the market as a whole. "