Tesla aims 50 GWh lithium refinery

Tesla said on April 22 that it has begun ramping lithium production as it prepares factories for Cybercab, Tesla Semi and Megapack 3. (tesla.com) That update did not announce a brand-new refinery plan. It pointed to the next stage of a project Tesla broke ground on in May 2023 near Corpus Christi, Texas, with an investment of more than $1 billion. (tesla.com) Lithium refining turns raw mineral feedstock into battery-grade lithium hydroxide, a chemical used in many electric-vehicle batteries. Tesla said its site uses an acid-free process and sits on more than 1,200 acres. (tesla.com) Tesla has tied the refinery’s scale to about 50 gigawatt-hours of annual battery-grade lithium output at volume production. That is the figure circulating in investor and social-media discussions this week. (tesla.com) (electrive.com) By January 28, Tesla said the refinery had commenced pilot production and called it the first North American refinery converting spodumene to lithium hydroxide. The company said the plant would support energy storage, battery manufacturing and electric vehicles. (tesla.com) Three months later, Tesla’s first-quarter letter moved the language from pilot production to ramping lithium. In the same document, Tesla said it was preparing lines for the start of production of Cybercab and the Tesla Semi. (tesla.com) Tesla has framed the refinery as a supply-chain hedge as trade and geopolitics become more uncertain. Its first-quarter letter said the company is investing to secure access to key materials and components in each region. (tesla.com) The project has also drawn scrutiny in Texas. Independent wastewater testing reported this month found toxic metals in discharge near the Robstown site, and the local drainage district sent Tesla a cease-and-desist letter, according to Inside Climate News. (insideclimatenews.org) So the news this week is narrower than the social posts suggest: Tesla is not unveiling a fresh 50 gigawatt-hour target, but signaling that its Texas lithium refinery is moving from pilot output into a production ramp tied to its next vehicle and battery buildout. (tesla.com 1) (tesla.com 2)