GM and Livent Reach Agreement for EV Battery Component
DETROIT – Livent Co. and General Motors have announced a supply agreement, supplying battery-grade lithium hydroxide for higher mileage EVs.
GM says the lithium hydroxide comes from Livent’s brine-based operations in South America and will be used in Ultium battery cathodes. The cathodes power GM electric vehicles including the Chevrolet Blazer EV, Chevrolet Silverado EV, GMC Hummer EV and Cadillac Lyriq.
Livent will provide the lithium hydroxide for an over six-year period starting in 2025. GM says the company will supply the battery-grade lithium hydroxide from its U.S. manufacturing facilities as it transitions towards 100% of Livent’s downstream lithium hydroxide processing for GM to North America.
“We are building a strong, sustainable, scalable and secure supply chain to help meet our fast-growing EV production needs,” says Jeff Morrison, GM vice president of global purchasing and supply chain. “We will further localize the lithium supply chain in North America over the course of the agreement. In addition, it is aligned with our approach to responsible sourcing and supply chain management and demonstrates our commitment to strong supplier relationships.”
GM says both companies are committed to responsible and sustainable supply chains through industry and multi-stakeholder platforms. As of 2021, GM is both a member of the Responsible Minerals Initiative and Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance, with a goal to become carbon neutral by 2040.
In addition to the goal of being carbon neutral by 2040, Livent also is a part of IRMA third-party assessment and is recipient of a gold rating from EcoVadis for sustainability.
“We are excited to begin this long-term relationship with GM, one of the most iconic brands in the automotive industry and a leading force in the transition to electrification,” says Paul Graves, president and chief executive officer of Livent. “With a shared commitment to sustainability and responsible operations, we look forward to building a broad partnership that will support GM’s electric vehicle strategy, its supply chain goals and the future requirements of its growing EV fleet for reliable, high-performance lithium products.”
Source: General Motors
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
