The U.S. Government is back in the car business The U.S....

The U.S. Government is back in the car business The U.S. Department of Energy has made its first loan in ten years https://www.reutersDOE loans program with a winner..com/business/energy/syrah-resources-gets-107-mln-us-loan-louisiana-ev-battery-plant-2022-04-19 to a clean vehicle business, awarding $107 million to Australian company Syrah Resources to build a battery graphite processing plant in Louisiana, with Tesla as a major customer. The DOE's Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing (ATVM) program has nearly $18 billion in lending capacity https://www.energy.gov/lpo/products-services/advanced-technology-vehicles-manufacturing-loan-program, but it has been largely dormant. Now, the ATVM is being used as a tool in a broader effort by the Biden Administration to secure U.S. capacity to produce batteries and battery raw materials. As EV sales rise, analysts and industry executives are warning of a looming shortage of battery capacity.

ATVM program chief Jigar Shah is encouraging applicants, but with a caveat: "The vast majority of applicants aren't ready," Shah told Reuters. "We need all of our questions answered to be able to process a loan." Translation: No more Solyndras

They need to kick start the DOE loans program with a winner. Any regulatory approvals should be smoothed out.