European Transport & Environment: "Made in China" Pure EVs Are Expected to Account for More Than 25% of the EU Market This Year

[Solid-state battery: Sulphide electrolyte production 70 mt in January-August] From January to August 2026, China's cumulative sulphide electrolyte production reached 70 mt, up 119.7% YoY, already surpassing the full-year 2025 total (58.29 mt). However, this impressive growth masks three harsh realities: ① Only 19.6% of the annual forecast target (360 mt) has been achieved; ② The capacity utilization rate in August was just 5.82%, with capacity severely idling; ③ Product prices continued to plummet (LPSC fell over 24% in a single month). Q4 average monthly production will most likely land in the 11.5-13 mt range, with a full-year total of approximately 118-121 mt, representing a "solid climb." Annual forecast of 360 mt, with only 70 mt completed in the first eight months: the gap between the "mild ramp-up" of China's sulphide electrolyte and reality.

According to Red Metal Resources on September 3, the Farellon project, part of the company’s Carrizal copper-gold-cobalt property near Vallenar, Chile, has completed its first delivery of copper sulphide ore, marking the project’s transition from the development stage to actual ore sales and small-scale production. Project lessee and operator Minera KMT transported the first batch of ore to the Vallenar processing facility operated by Chile’s state-owned mining company ENAMI on August 20 and 21. The milestone came only about three months after the parties signed a mining agreement in May, around four months ahead of the original seven-month development schedule. Farellon is an important part of the Carrizal copper-gold-cobalt property. The first ore delivery is expected to generate royalty revenue for Red Metal and lay the groundwork for further expansion of mining and processing activities. The company has not yet disclosed the specific cobalt grade, cobalt output or recovery rate for the delivered ore. However, the project’s move into actual production and sales represents a new development in Chile’s cobalt resource pipeline outside Africa.