Battery materials
Overview
Growth in global electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) production has put a spotlight on battery materials. While lithium-ion batteries dominate the current market, this is a rapidly emerging technology space where improved range or charge times can quicky shift industry sentiment and investment in a different direction.
Argus is at the forefront of battery materials pricing and reporting with coverage of common battery metals (lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite), industry-grade cathodes and black mass. As experts in specialty metals and rare earths, we future-proof our price assessment portfolio with a range of electronic metals crucial to the manufacture of technology deployed in modern vehicles.
Our Argus Battery Materials and Argus Non-Ferrous Markets services help businesses to understand these complicated supply chains, including price volatility and sustainability challenges around future demand.
Minor metals: Battery metals
As automakers continue to invest in electric vehicle production and power companies explore infrastructure that includes energy storage programmes, the metals contained in lithium-ion batteries supporting these products has attracted interest from investors, institutions and manufacturers alike.
Argus is well positioned to provide insight into price volatility, global supply and responsible material sourcing for all manufacturers and investors in this sector.
Highlights of Argus battery materials coverage
- Understand the context of significant price movements and industry trends with a weekly PDF that highlights the most important market news across lithium, cobalt, graphite, nickel and other common battery materials
- Mitigate risk and perform reliable forward planning with 1-year and 10-year forecasts across different battery metals, chemistries and industries
- Gain a competitive edge with industry-specific tools, such as the Black Mass Calculator that estimates the intrinsic value of different battery chemistries (including cathodes like NCM111, NCM523, LFP, NCA)
- Invest with confidence knowing Argus is IOSCO-compliant with over 50 years of experience delivering trusted price data and market intelligence
Stay ahead of the battery material markets
To be informed of relevant content, sign up to Argus Battery Materials Market Highlights. Each newsletter issue provides key prices, selected news, downloadable insight papers, podcasts, and on-demand videos across all major battery raw materials. Our coverage spans lithium, cobalt, nickel, and more, enabling you to explore end-to-end the battery metals and EV industries.
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Browse the latest market moving news on the global battery materials industry.
China's CATL to raise $1.4bn to fund battery projects
China's CATL to raise $1.4bn to fund battery projects
Beijing, 11 December (Argus) — China's largest battery manufacturer CATL plans to raise up to 10bn yuan ($1.4bn) by issuing five-year bonds, the company said on 10 December. It aims to support project construction and to replenish working capital through the fundraising, said the company. More details, including which projects will be funded, were undisclosed. CATL is the world's largest battery manufacturer, with its power battery installations accounting for 38pc of the global market during January-October, industry data show. It is building several large-sized production projects in China, including the 100 GWh/yr plant in Jining in north China's Shandong province, and a 40 GWh/yr plant in Shandong's Dongying city, as well as a 80 GWh/yr project in Xiamen of Fujian province. The company has also expanded its production outside China. It began constructing a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery plant in Spain's Aragon region on 26 November. It also operates a 14 GWh/yr plant in Germany, and is building a 100 GWh/yr plant in Hungary set to start operations in early 2026. A 15 GWh/yr plant in Indonesia is expected to begin production in 2027. CATL's battery installations rose to 210.67GWh in the first three quarters of this year, a year-on-year increase of 33.6pc. Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Smackover Lithium may get $1bn in loans
Smackover Lithium may get $1bn in loans
Houston, 9 December (Argus) — US lithium developer Smackover Lithium has gotten expressions of interest from three export credit agencies (ECAs) for over $1bn in loans to build the first phase project in southwest Arkansas. The Export-Import Bank of the US and Export Finance Norway were two of the ECAs, Smackover Lithium said. It did not disclose the third. Smackover Lithium is a joint venture between US lithium developer Standard Lithium and Norway energy company Equinor. The funding would help finance the estimated $1.5bn South West Arkansas project. Smackover Lithium said it will negotiate with lenders if cost overruns occur. The project will use direct lithium extraction technology to produce 22,500 metric tons (t)/yr of lithium carbonate. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2026, with first production expected in 2028. Smackover Lithium estimated an average cash operating cost of $4,516/t. Argus' weekly US battery grade lithium carbonate assessment was unchanged today at $10.20-11.40/kg ddp. By Carol Luk Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
South Korea's LGES inks $1.4bn EV battery deal
South Korea's LGES inks $1.4bn EV battery deal
Singapore, 8 December (Argus) — South Korea's leading battery maker, LG Energy Solution (LGES), has signed a $1.4bn multi-year electric vehicle (EV) battery supply deal with German carmaker Mercedes-Benz. Under the deal, LGES will supply EV batteries to Mercedes from March 2028 through the end of June 2035 across Europe and North America, according to a regulatory filing dated 8 December. Further details were undisclosed. LGES and Mercedes had previously concluded two supply agreements in September for 107GWh of EV batteries, strengthening Mercedes' role as a key driver of LGES' future revenue stream. But LGES has increasingly shifted its focus this year toward the energy storage systems (ESS) sector. Ther company's Polish plant — the largest in the region with 86GWh/yr of capacity — has begun converting part of its EV production lines to meet rising ESS demand, said the firm. In June, LGES also started producing lithium-iron-phosphate batteries for ESS in the US , becoming the first among major South Korean battery makers, including Samsung SDI and SK On, to do so. LGES' average international operating rates across its battery manufacturing facilities fell further to 50.7pc in July-September, down from 51.3pc in the first half of the year and 59.8pc during the same period a year earlier. By Joseph Ho Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Ford, Honda US EV sales fall further in Nov
Ford, Honda US EV sales fall further in Nov
Houston, 3 December (Argus) — Ford Motor and Honda reported further declines in US electric vehicle (EV) sales in November. Ford's US sales of EVs fell by 18pc from a year earlier to 20,548 vehicles in November, the automaker said on 2 December. Ford's hybrid EV (HEV) sales rose on the year by 14pc to 16,301 units, while battery EV (BEV) sales tumbled by 61pc to 4,247 vehicles. The US automaker sold 72pc fewer electric F-150 Lightning pickup trucks in the month at 1,006 units, and E-Transit cargo van sales dropped on the year by 82pc to 227 units. November sales marked a further deterioration from October, when Ford sold 4,709 BEVs, 1,543 F-150 Lightning trucks and 260 E-Transits. A federal tax credit of up to $7,500 for electric vehicles (EV) and plug-in hybrids that had been available for 15 years expired on 1 October because of changes enacted through US president Donald Trump's tax and energy law. Honda's US EV sales — including hybrid, battery, and fuel-cell models — fell in November by 29pc from a year earlier to 28,280 units. Honda Prologue, its electric sport utility vehicle, sold just 903 units in November, down from 6,823 a year earlier. The Japanese automaker in May lowered its global EV sales target for 2030, and sees HEVs as the key powertrain in its energy transition strategy. By Carol Luk Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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