The race for lithium is on, as vehicle electrification heats up across the globe; a recent news release revealed that Ford will buy lithium from Québec’s Nemaska Lithium for its electric vehicle batteries.
The two companies entered a long-term, 11-year supply agreement that will see up to 13,000 tons of lithium hydroxide delivered annually. The lithium hydroxide will be produced at the Bécancour facility for manufacturing Ford’s EV batteries.
“The Nemaska Lithium project will be a sustainable source of lithium, supporting Ford’s ability to scale and helping us make EVs more accessible and affordable over time to millions of customers,” said Lisa Drake, Ford’s VP of EV Industrialization, Model e, in a statement.
The use of lithium hydroxide from Nemaska Lithium, which the company said meets high standards of quality and sustainability, should help the OEM’s vehicles qualify for consumer tax benefits under the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act. For Nemaska Lithium, it will help strengthen their position in the development of the battery industry in Québec and the rest of Canada.
“We are excited to support Québec in its development of a domestic battery supply chain, and to develop a relationship with Ford as it focuses on developing electric vehicles built on a strong, North American supply chain,” said Paul Graves, President and CEO of Livent and Board Member of Nemaska Lithium.
