Growing interest in electric vehicles is spurring efforts to build a U.S. supply chain for manufacturing lithium-ion batteries. Battery-focused startups including Sila Nanotechnologies and Romeo Power are among companies drawing significant new backing, the WSJ’s Ben Foldy and Rebecca Elliott report, as investors deepen their interest in companies looking to expand production and provide raw materials for the burgeoning industry. The drive marks a shift for North America, which has long relied on imports for such components, an imbalance that industry executives say is a problem as interest in electrified transportation grows. Battery-manufacturing giants such as South Korea’s LG Chem and SK Innovation are building factories in the U.S. to expand production, and Tesla is expanding its capabilities. But there is little U.S. production for critical battery materials such as lithium and graphite, a major reason much of the high-value supply chain remains concentrated in China.

– Bob

This is from the Wall Street Journal 1/27/2021