Thank you for your find @Old gill,
Key highlights from a very interesting write up by an expert in the field, John Petersen:
For all the boasting claims by Tesla's boss, the truth is different: “Since 2006, the only advance in NCA chemistry has been a second-generation NCA-84,12,4 cathode powder that reduces cobalt in the cathode powder by about 2%.” A very small reduction in 12 years. Petersen adds “Panasonic’s NCA-84,12,4 cathode powder is 7.3% cobalt by weight, while NCM 811 formulations will be 6.1% cobalt by weight if the technology can be commercialized.” I recall another article mentionning that Panasonic, Tesla’s Battery supplier is forecasting increasing its purchase of Cobalt from 8000 tons in 2018 to 25 000 tons in a few years. In his conclusion Petersons’s stated “I believe Tesla is very concerned that cobalt will become an insurmountable barrier to its growth strategy”. “Without rock-solid supply chains, Tesla’s gigafactory is a $5 billion boondoggle and its exponential step-change growth story an illusion”. Considering the upcoming boom in EV with VW and BMW among many others launching dozens of models in a few years time COB is in a sweet spot. -In the meantime we are a week or two away from an Anncmt that COB is getting 70% interest in its Thackaringa Project upon releasing the PFS on schedule on June 30. This is another key step and a re rating catalyst in my eyes, positive for the SP.
