[5.26 Lithium Battery News] Rio Tinto Plans to Invest Approximately $425 Million to Participate in the Development of a Lithium Project in Chile

[CPCA Secretary General Cui Dongshu: China's Auto Exports Reach 2.16 Million Units from January to April, with a YoY Growth Rate of 15%]CPCA Secretary General Cui Dongshu stated in an article that from January to April 2025, China's auto exports reached 2.16 million units, up 15% YoY compared to the same period in 2024. In April, China's auto exports reached 620,000 units, up 12% YoY and 36% MoM, showing a generally strong trend in both YoY and MoM growth. The main drivers this year remain the improvement in the competitiveness of Chinese products and the slight increase in the markets of Global South countries. However, the cycle in which international brands in the Russian market under the Russia-Ukraine crisis were comprehensively replaced by Chinese vehicles may come to an end, resulting in a significant reduction. (Finance Link)

[Rio Tinto Plans to Invest Approximately $425 Million in the Development of the Salares Altoandinos Lithium Project in Chile]On May 22, Rio Tinto announced that it had been confirmed as the preferred partner by Chile's state-owned mining company (ENAMI) for the Salares Altoandinos lithium project on the salt flats in northern Chile. According to the proposed terms, Rio Tinto will acquire an initial 51% stake in the project, with ENAMI holding the remaining shares. Both parties still need to sign a binding agreement, obtain all regulatory approvals, and meet other customary closing conditions. Rio Tinto stated that it will advance pre-feasibility and feasibility studies to ultimately make an investment decision. Rio Tinto will provide approximately $425 million in cash and non-cash contributions, including its direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology. The cash contributions will be disbursed in phases to fund pre-feasibility and further studies. (Finance Link)

[China's First Large-Scale Lithium-Sodium Hybrid Energy Storage Station with 98% Green Electricity Put into Operation]China's first large-scale lithium-sodium hybrid energy storage station, the Baochi Energy Storage Station of China Southern Power Grid, was put into operation in Yunnan today. Covering an area equivalent to five football fields, the Baochi Energy Storage Station has an installed capacity of 400 megawatt hours (MWh) and can regulate 580 million kWh of electricity annually, equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of 270,000 households, with green electricity accounting for up to 98%. (CCTV News)

[Two Matters under the EU Battery Regulation Postponed, Providing Buffer for Chinese Lithium Battery Companies' Exports to Europe]Due to adjustments in the global raw material supply chain and insufficient third-party investigation agencies, the EU's planned implementation of due diligence on battery supply chains, originally scheduled for August this year, is proposed to be postponed by two years. The original plan for companies to submit carbon footprint reports, scheduled for February this year, has also been postponed due to the lack of detailed rules, providing Chinese lithium battery companies with a buffer period for their exports to Europe. The postponement of these two matters is good news for China's lithium battery exports to the EU. The EU is China's largest export market for lithium batteries. According to data from China's General Administration of Customs, in the first four months of 2025, five EU countries—Germany, the Netherlands, France, Spain, and Hungary—accounted for nearly 30% of China's lithium battery export value. (Caixin)

[Hainan Mining: 20,000 mt Battery-Grade Lithium Hydroxide Project Achieves Full Process Integration with Qualified Products Offline]Hainan Mining (601969.SH) announced that its 20,000 mt battery-grade lithium hydroxide project has achieved full process integration, with the first batch of lithium hydroxide products passing internal laboratory sampling inspections, confirming that product parameters meet design standards. This milestone lays the foundation for subsequent continuous mass production, marking a phased achievement in the company's industrial transformation and upgrading strategy. However, lithium resource price fluctuations may impact the project's economics, and uncertainties remain regarding the timeline for stable production, full production capacity attainment, and customer certification of the products. The company will promptly fulfill its information disclosure obligations. (Cailian Press)

[Haisco Pharmaceutical: Solid-State Battery Adhesive Business Yet to Generate Orders]Haisco Pharmaceutical (300584.SZ) issued an abnormal stock trading volatility announcement, noting the recent high market attention on solid-state battery concepts. The company's involvement in the solid-state battery sector primarily revolves around its subsidiary Anqing Huichen's joint venture with Saike Power and others to establish Sichuan Luochen, which was incorporated on February 11, 2025, focusing on the development, optimization, and industrialization of adhesive materials for new energy batteries, including solid-state batteries. As of now, Sichuan Luochen is conducting small-scale process development for related adhesive products but has not yet delivered samples to customers or secured orders, with no significant impact expected on the company's annual profits.

[Farasis Energy: Second-Generation Semi-Solid-State Battery Expected to Enter Mass Production in H2, Targeting High-Value Applications Like Low-Altitude Economy and Humanoid Robots]Farasis Energy stated on an interactive platform that its first-generation semi-solid-state battery entered mass production and vehicle installation in 2022. The second-generation semi-solid-state battery is expected to achieve mass production in H2, initially targeting high-value applications such as the low-altitude economy and humanoid robots, potentially boosting solid-state battery product revenue. In terms of customer collaboration, the company's solid-state battery products have gained recognition from leading clients across various sectors, including GAC, Dongfeng, Sany, FAW Jiefang, a top US eVTOL customer, a leading domestic flying car manufacturer, Shanghai Shidai, and Geely's Volocopter. (Cailian Press)