Nickel supply interruptions expected in China
Ensuring sufficient nickel is a major challenge for EV companies, the chief executive of BYD Co Ltd, a Chinese manufacturer of electric vehicles and batteries for them, said Thursday, adding that the company would welcome joint ventures that will provide guaranteed supplies.
Nickel is a metal that is one of the key components of electric vehicle (EV) batteries. It is expected that the latest technology applied to the production of high-nickel batteries will allow cars to move on without recharging, and this will further increase demand.
“Further supply of nickel is a major challenge for everyone,” said Coco Liu, BYD's purchasing director at the Fastmarkets Battery Materials conference.
According to Liu, BYD is looking not only for suppliers of high-quality products, but also those with experience in joint ventures that span the entire EV value chain, from mining to battery materials and finished products.