In Single Week, Hyundai and Stellantis Announce Huge EV Factories in Georgia and Indiana

Electric air vehicle company Joby Aviation gets critical FAA nod to start on-demand commercial air taxi operations; BNEF estimates global EV fleet avoiding 3.3% of world oil demand; Hyundai announces deal w/state of GA to build an EV and battery plant making 300,000 cars per year by 2025; Stellantis and battery co Samsung SDI plan on large EV and battery plant in IN, at up to 33 GWh, operational by 2025; Benchmark Minerals reports 300 battery gigafactories in planning or construction phases worldwide, w/total manufacturing capacity around 6,388 GWh, up 68% from 2021; Benchmark also warns battery capacity growing twice as fast as minerals supply chain; US DOD wants to add UK and Australia as potential sourcing nations in Defense Production Act to help remedy battery supply chain constraints; Air Liquide opens 30 ton-per-day liquid hydrogen facility in NV, to supply hydrogen-fueled vehicles; Veolia crushing and recycling 250 wind blades monthly in MO; U.S. Supreme Court lets stand Biden Admin cost of carbon in rulemaking.

1) Electric air vehicle company Joby Aviation obtains FAA certification to begin on-demand commercial air taxi operations. The company is aiming for aerial rideshare service by 2024.

2) BNEF estimates EVs and fuel cell vehicles avoided consumption of nearly 1.5 million barrels of oil/day in 2021, about 3.3% of global demand.

3) Hyundai hails agreement w/Georgia for EV and battery plant to make 300,000 cars/year, starting 2025.

4) Stellantis and battery co Samsung SDI teaming on 23-33 GWh EV battery plant in Indiana, to start in 2025.

5) Benchmark Minerals counts estimated 300 battery gigafactories globally in planning or construction phases, w/total annual manufacturing capacity around 6,388 GWh, up 68% YOY.

6) Benchmark also warns battery factory growth twice the speed of mineral supply chain growth. w/critical shortages likely in visible future.

7) U.S. Dept of Defense wants Congress to include Australia and the UK as “domestic sources” in Defense Production Act, with focus on battery supply chain.

8) Air Liquide cuts ribbon on 30 tons-per-day liquid hydrogen production and logistics plant in Nevada, to supply hydrogen-fueled vehicles, w/landfill gas as feedstock.

9) Veolia shredding 250 wind blades/month, turning them into both silica and fuel for cement manufacture.

10) U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday lets stand the Biden Administration’s social cost of carbon estimates applied during consideration of new regulations, repudiating 20 Republican states that tried to block the move. Cost figure bumped from the $10/ton used during Trump era to value close to $50/ton.