SP Member News Roundup – February 2023

SP provides a forum for global automotive manufacturers, their large and small suppliers, the US EPA and other government entities from around the world to work together toward a shared vision of an automotive industry with positive environmental impact.

This monthly series collects recent news and updates through February 2023 highlighting efforts of SP member companies and partners to advance initiatives with positive environmental impact.

• AGC and Saint-Gobain Partner for the Decarbonization of Flat Glass Manufacturing. AGC and Saint-Gobain announce that they are collaborating on the design of a pilot breakthrough flat glass line that is expected to reduce very significantly its direct CO₂ emissions. Learn more.
• One of the Largest Known Lithium Deposits in US Identified at American Battery Technology Company Tonopah Flats Property. American Battery Technology Company announced results of its third-party Qualified Person (QP) audited Inferred Resource Report that details the analysis of its lithium deposit at its Tonopah Flats Lithium Project in Big Smoky Valley, Nev., which has resulted in the identification of one of the largest known lithium deposits in the United States.  Learn more.
• SBTi approves science-based targets of Autoneum. The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has approved Autoneum’s science-based emissions reduction targets. The validation by the SBTi is an important milestone in Autoneum’s efforts to reduce its direct and indirect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions along the entire value chain. Learn more.
• Cirba Solutions Secures $50 Million Marubeni Investment. Cirba Solutions announced a $50 million minority investment from the Marubeni Corporation.  This investment further supports Cirba Solutions’ ongoing efforts to rapidly expand its operational footprint addressing the needs of the market to create a sustainable closed loop battery materials supply chain.  Learn more.
• SQM and Circulor provide end-to-end lithium traceability, enabling attribution of upstream activity to EV batteries. Sociedad Química y Minera (SQM) collaborates with Circulor to deliver traceability for lithium from source to the final product, making such information available to downstream automakers, including Volvo Cars. Learn more.
• Ecobat to Build New Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Facility in Arizona. Ecobat is building its third lithium-ion battery recycling facility and its first in North America. The new facility in Casa Grande, Arizona will initially produce 10,000 estimated tons of recycled material per year, with plans to expand capacity to satisfy the increasing need to recycle lithium-ion batteries. Learn more.
• Ford Taps Michigan For New LFP Battery Plant. Ford announced it is investing $3.5 billion to build the country’s first automaker-backed LFP battery plant, offering customers a second battery technology within Ford’s EV lineup. This plant – called BlueOval Battery Park Michigan – initially will employ 2,500 people when production of LFP batteries begins in 2026. Learn more.
• GlobalFoundries and GM Announce Long-Term Direct Supply Agreement for U.S. Production of Semiconductor Chips. General Motors Co. and GlobalFoundries announced a strategic, long-term agreement establishing a dedicated capacity corridor exclusively for GM’s chip supply.  Learn more.
• U. S. Steel Announces Supply Agreement with General Motors for U.S.-Sourced Sustainable verdeX® Steel. United States Steel Corporation announced that it will supply General Motors (GM) with its advanced and sustainable steel solution called verdeX^® steel. Learn more.
• Honda and Ascend Elements Reach Basic Agreement to Collaborate Toward Stable Procurement of Recycled Lithium-ion Battery Resources in North America. Honda Motor Company announced that it has reached a basic agreement with Ascend Elements. The companies intend to collaborate toward stable procurement of resources from recycled lithium-ion batteries in North America necessary for Honda electrified vehicles. Learn more.
• Li-Cycle Receives Conditional Commitment for $375 Million Loan from the U.S. Department of Energy ATVM Program. Li-Cycle and the U.S. Department of Energy Loan Programs Office, through its Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing program, have entered into a conditional commitment for a $375 million loan. This is the first conditional commitment from the DOE ATVM program for a sustainable pure-play battery materials recycling company and the program’s main support for the lithium-ion battery recycling industry. Learn more.
• Ricardo commissioned to define a single harmonised European life cycle assessment standard for zero emission vehicles and batteries. Ricardo has commenced a European Union-funded project to develop a baseline for a European-wide commonly accepted and applied single life cycle assessment (LCA) approach for zero emission vehicles (ZEV) and batteries based on evidence and real-world data. Learn more.
• Stellantis Announces $155 Million Investment in Three Indiana Plants to Support North American Electrification Goals. Stellantis announced that it will invest a total of $155 million in three Kokomo, Indiana, plants to produce new electric drive modules (EDM) that will help power future electric vehicles assembled in North America and support the goal of 50% battery electric sales in the U.S. by 2030. Learn more.
• Solar Power Continues to Bloom at Toyota West Virginia. The new “garden” near the main entrance of Toyota West Virginia supercharges the idea of “flower power.” Five recently installed SmartFlower solar arrays help power the facility’s employee services buildings, which are home to popular destinations like the uniform store, footwear store, credit union, clinic and pharmacy. Learn more.

SP members may send their environmental sustainability news to info@supplierspartnership.org for consideration in future news roundups. And, be sure to follow us on LinkedIn to keep up with the latest SP news and updates.