WionDrive News Desk 
Instead of being a first-mover, China’s BYD – an automotive industry giant – is holding back to begin lithium cathode manufacturing for electric vehicle (EV) batteries in Chile, according to the company’s head of the America region, Reuters reported. CORFO, Chile’s economic development agency had stated in its plan that the manufacturing was expected to start by the end of 2025 at BYD’s new plant. The disclosure revealed that the EV maker aimed to invest nearly USD 290 million in Chile, the second-largest industrial lithium producer.
Nevertheless, Kelly Li, head of BYD’s Americas operations, failed to specify if the new plans to manufacture in North America will be intentionally postponed or distributed differently. Through the multiple uncertainties and complexities of the company, whose goal was to manufacture critical parts for the EV batteries, she emphasised, “I would just refer you to the strategy we put forward in a few months, once things are less uncertain,” she told an interviewer at the hybrid-electric pickup truck launch event in Mexico City.
CORFO took action saying it will contact BYD for explanations and would insist the company had accomplished the set targets in the process of winning a preferential price on battery-grade lithium carbonate. Through the cost-effective commercialisation of EVs, BYD, a company famous for its self-sufficiency of automotive components and systems of EVs, usually produces EV-related products itself instead of separately produce each of them independently.
Cathotherm being the most expensive battery cell component can be manufactured both in the form of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) or nickel cobalt manganese (NCM). The production which was planned as the next for the plant at the northern part of Antofagasta, should get to 50,000 metric tons/year of LFP (CORFO’s projection), which is for cathodes.
