Understanding lithium demand, page-1386

"Trust your own research, follow the real news, look at the numbers coming out of Europe" "Look at the enormous investments in EV technology and support networks, and those gigafactories are popping up left right and centre. Deals are being done and traditional ICE makers are writing new stories on the future as we speak"

*Speaking of "Deals" being done Bro, did you see where our "Chinese Overlords" are going Gangbusters on the wheeling & Dealing front atm, as


China's Ganfeng Lithium, one of the world's top lithium producers, on Thursday said it had offered to buy the shares it does not already own in Mexico-focused Bacanora Lithium for up to 190 million pounds ($264.5 million).

The deal, which values Bacanora at up to around 267 million pounds, follows the announcement of merger between lithium producers Galaxy Resources and Orocobre Ltd last month as demand for the key ingredient in electric vehicle batteries surges after a three-year downturn.

Ganfeng, which in February announced a plan to raise its stake in Bacanora from 17.41% to 28.88%, will acquire the remaining shares in the company for 67.5 pence per share, a joint statement said.

The increase in Ganfeng's stake to 28.88% is expected to complete shortly, it added.

Jiangxi-based Ganfeng said in late March it planned to boost production capacity roughly five fold to 600,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) annually.



GM stock rallies on record first quarter that leaves Ford, Tesla in the dust

General Motors Co. stock on Wednesday rallied toward its best in a month after the car maker reported record first-quarter results, kept its outlook intact, and sounded optimistic about its electric-car and autonomous-vehicle prospects.

On a call with analysts following results, GM Chief Executive Mary Barra highlighted the company’s strides toward offering more EVs or redesigning existing ones, including a summer revamp for the Chevy Bolt and a new “SUV inspired” Bolt as well as an electric Silverado pickup truck.

Barra said GM’s Cruise autonomous-driving unit is showing “exciting progress” in test drives and focusing on full autonomy.

Cruise will continue to add features that could lead it to be close to full autonomy later in this decade.

It “opens up really more possibilities than I think we can outline today,” she said.

GM has shown progress in its strategy to transition to offering EVs only by 2035 and “we believe the best has yet to come,” he said.

Shares of GM have gained 170% in the past 12 months, compared with gains of around 46% for the S&P 500 index SPX, -0.16% in the same period.


*To remind,

GM aims to offer only electric cars by 2035, and to be carbon-neutral by 2040

General Motors Co. said Thursday it aspires to offer only electric vehicles in 15 years on its way to become a carbon-neutral company by 2040.

GM said it has worked with the nonprofit Environmental Defense Fund “to develop a shared vision of an all-electric future and an aspiration to eliminate tailpipe emissions from new light-duty vehicles by 2035.”

The goal is to focus on zero-emissions vehicles in a range of prices and working with others, including EDF, to — build out charging networks and to promote consumer acceptance “while maintaining high quality jobs, which will all be needed to meet these ambitious goals,” GM said.

Earlier this year, GM said that it will offer 30 all-electric models globally by mid-decade, and that 40% percent of the company’s U.S. models will be battery electric vehicles by the end of 2025.

www.marketwatch.com




More Food for thought

Frank