[7.14Lithium Express] Tesla will launch a rear-wheel drive version of Model Y* Volkswagen ID.3 will start booking on July 20th.

Published: Jul 14, 2020 11:09

[live broadcast of the meeting] change in global cobalt supply and demand pattern Nickel and Cobalt price outlook key technical guidance for new energy

[Tesla will launch a rear-wheel drive version of Model Y with a range of nearly 500km] on Sunday, local time, Elon Musk (Elon Musk), chief executive of electric carmaker Tesla, tweeted that the company would launch a more affordable rear-wheel drive version of Model Y with a range of nearly 500km. The upcoming version will be Tesla's first single-motor model for the all-electric crossover SUV, with an entry price expected to be around $40, 000.

[Tesla Cybertruck solar recycling roof exposure increases 24 km range] at the beginning of the launch of Tesla Cybertruck, Tesla CEO Elon Musk (Elon Musk) said that the new electric pickup truck will be equipped with a solar roof, which will add 15 miles (24 km) of range per day, and the Cybertruck will be the first Tesla car with solar energy.

[BAIC New Energy sales fell 88.5% in June compared with the same period last year] on July 11, BAIC Blue Valley issued a production and sales express for June. BAIC New Energy, a subsidiary of BAIC Blue Valley, sold 3008 vehicles in June, compared with 26072 in the same period last year, down 88.5 per cent from a year earlier. Car sales in the first half of the year were 14700, compared with 65159 in the same period last year, down 77.44 per cent from a year earlier.

[Volkswagen ID.3 will start booking on July 20] on July 13, Volkswagen announced that consumers will be able to order ID.3 models from July 20. The car can be subsidized in Germany and other European countries in accordance with local regulations. In Germany, consumers can apply for an environmental award of up to 9480 euros for electric vehicles, of which 3480 euros are borne by Volkswagen.

4.7s break a hundred! On July 13, we learned from relevant sources that the price of the first pure electric sedan SUV--EC6 of Lulai will be announced during the 2020 Chengdu Motor Show, and then it will be officially delivered in September this year. EC6 is the third mass-produced model of Xilai, which was first launched in the world by NIO DAY in 2019. It can also be regarded as a cross-border model of Xilai ES6.

(Geely's acquisition of Daimler-Benz shares is indeed nearing completion in the secondary market.) although it was previously reported that Daimler had politely rejected Geely's offer, Geely's acquisition of part of Daimler's shares, mainly by Geely Holdings Group, was nearly completed by way of acquisition from the secondary market. The acquisition may be officially completed after the Spring Festival.

 

[electric carmaker Rivian gets $2.5 billion in financing. Amazon, a longtime shareholder, recently raised $2.5 billion in financing for electric carmaker Rivian. In this round of financing, T. Rowe Price led the investment of, Soros Fund Management, Coatue, Fidelity Management and Research Company, Baron Capital Group, and existing shareholders Amazon and BlackRock. This is the largest round of financing for Rivian to date.

SMM Cobalt Lithium small Metal Research team

Hu Yan 021 Murray 51666809

Qin Jingjing 021 Murray 51666828

Mei Wang Qin 021 Mui 51666759

Huo Yuan 021 Murray 51666898

Click to register: "2020 (Fifth) China International Nickel, Cobalt and Lithium Summit Forum"

Scan the code to sign up for the Ni-Co-Li Summit or apply to join the SMM industry exchange group:

Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, all other data are processed by SMM based on publicly available information, market communication, and relying on SMM's internal database model. They are for reference only and do not constitute decision-making recommendations.

For any inquiries or for more information, please contact: lemonzhao@smm.cn
For more information on how to access our research reports, please contact:service.en@smm.cn
Related News
[SMM Analysis] Portugal Cancels Construction of Integrated Lithium Mining and Processing Industry
23 hours ago
[SMM Analysis] Portugal Cancels Construction of Integrated Lithium Mining and Processing Industry
Read More
[SMM Analysis] Portugal Cancels Construction of Integrated Lithium Mining and Processing Industry
[SMM Analysis] Portugal Cancels Construction of Integrated Lithium Mining and Processing Industry
23 hours ago
[SMM Flash] SADC Urged to Shift from Raw Mineral Exports to Processing, Zimbabwe's Lithium Ban Cited as Model
Aug 15, 2026 00:07
[SMM Flash] SADC Urged to Shift from Raw Mineral Exports to Processing, Zimbabwe's Lithium Ban Cited as Model
Read More
[SMM Flash] SADC Urged to Shift from Raw Mineral Exports to Processing, Zimbabwe's Lithium Ban Cited as Model
[SMM Flash] SADC Urged to Shift from Raw Mineral Exports to Processing, Zimbabwe's Lithium Ban Cited as Model
UN Economic Commission for Africa executive secretary Claver Gatete has called on the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to move from raw mineral exports toward local processing and value addition, calling the region a testing ground for Africa's broader mineral strategy. Demand for critical energy transition minerals including lithium could more than triple by 2030 under net-zero scenarios, with Africa holding about 30% of global reserves but just 1% of lithium output, the smallest share among minerals cited. Zimbabwe was named SADC's primary lithium resource holder, alongside the DRC (cobalt), South Africa (platinum, manganese) and Zambia (copper), with Gatete pointing to Zimbabwe's unprocessed lithium export ban as a policy model for the region. Minerals contribute about 10% of SADC's GDP, 25% of exports and 20% of government revenues, but only 7% of direct employment. SMM View: Gatete's remarks lend regional policy weight to Zimbabwe's ongoing beneficiation push, reinforcing the rationale behind its concentrate export ban as domestic sulfate capacity comes online.
Aug 15, 2026 00:07
Sinomine's Bikita Lithium Sulfate Plant Begins Construction, Targets 2027 Completion Amid Zimbabwe's Export Ban Push
Aug 14, 2026 23:09
Sinomine's Bikita Lithium Sulfate Plant Begins Construction, Targets 2027 Completion Amid Zimbabwe's Export Ban Push
Read More
Sinomine's Bikita Lithium Sulfate Plant Begins Construction, Targets 2027 Completion Amid Zimbabwe's Export Ban Push
Sinomine's Bikita Lithium Sulfate Plant Begins Construction, Targets 2027 Completion Amid Zimbabwe's Export Ban Push
Sinomine Resource Group's Zimbabwe unit, Masingo Lithium Technology, has obtained EIA approval for its 100,000 t/y lithium sulfate plant at Bikita, moving the project into full construction with contractors China Railway No. 9 Group and Shandong Dadi now on site. Completion is targeted for mid-2027. The clearance formalizes a plan first disclosed in September 2024 and reaffirmed via Sinomine's RMB 5.2 billion ($764 million) fundraising in May 2026, rather than signaling new capital commitment. Bikita becomes Zimbabwe's third Chinese-backed lithium sulfate project, joining Huayou's 50,000 t/y Arcadia plant commissioned July 2026, running near 60% of capacity as of late July and Yahua's Kamativi facility construction started February 2026, capacity undisclosed. Combined announced capacity across all three approaches 200,000+ t/y once complete, ahead of Zimbabwe's January 2027 concentrate export ban. SMM View: Arcadia's slower than nameplate ramp is the key benchmark here if Bikita follows a similar curve at double the capacity, full-rate output likely slips into 2028 despite a mid-2027 completion date. With all three plants now past groundbreaking, Zimbabwe's beneficiation push has shifted from policy to physical build out, the next signal to watch is how strictly the export ban is enforced against each plant's actual commissioning timeline, not just its announced one.
Aug 14, 2026 23:09