Powered By Lithium: Tesla To Build Electric Cars, Battery-charging Network In China ILC.v TNR.v LIT TSLA

  

  Now Elon Musk confirms his plans to build Tesla Model S in China. As we have discussed before, his plans with Gigafactory for Lithium Batteries and this entry into the largest auto-market in the world with Tesla Model S will be the major bifurcation point for the Lithium Industry. First Tesla Model S are being delivered in China as well now.

Powered By Lithium: Li Shufu - Geely And Volvo Will Join Hands To Develop Electric Cars ILC.v TNR.v LIT

  "Now Volvo, owned by Chinese Geely, joins the club of auto-makers salivating about the opportunity presented in the largest auto-market in the world with the chocking on the highest rate of air pollution population. All auto majors are in and betting on theWar Against Pollution announced by China. Volvo joins Daimler, BMW,Volkswagen, Audi, Saab and even out-of-the-bankruptcy Fisker to fight pollution and make urban mobility still possible in China. 

  Elon Musk has added to the fire today with Beijing Auto Show flirting with Electric Cars represented by all major auto-makers: he is planning to produce Tesla Model S in China in 3 years time. We will make a separate entry about it.

  China runs now the state level plan to build the Vertically Integrated Lithium Business to secure the strategic commodities like Lithium and take over the large market share in Lithium Batteries."

International Lithium: Moving Forward With Strategic Partner Ganfeng Lithium ILC.v TNR.v LIT

  
  International Lithium has issued the newsletter covering the latest transactions with its strategic partner Ganfeng Lithium from China.

International Lithium: Ganfeng Lithium Is Halted Pending Major Acquisition ILC.v TNR.v LIT TSLA KNDI

"We are following International Lithium here with its strategic partner from China Ganfeng Lithium. Elon Musk with his Tesla Gigafactory has brought a lot of attention to the Lithium strategic commodity story and Asian companies are coming into the spotlight as well now. LG Chem is talking about building major Lithium battery plant in China and Lithium Materials Industry is getting the green light from the Chinese government in its efforts to curb the horrible pollution.

"Kirill Klip, president of International Lithium (TSXV:ILC), views the announcement of Tesla’s Gigafactory as a “groundbreaking development.”

Tesla “brought attention to what Elon Musk has accomplished,” Klip told Lithium Investing News. “He showed to everyone that electric cars are not toys anymore — they are for real.”

International Lithium's Strategic Partner, Ganfeng Lithium, Takes Large Stake in Mariana and a $10 million Option on the Blackstairs Projects ILC.v TNR.v LIT

  "Mar 19, 2014 (ACCESSWIRE via COMTEX) -- Vancouver, B.C. / ACCESSWIRE / March - 2014 / International Lithium Corp. (the "Company" or "ILC") announces several major transactions with strategic partner GFL International Co., Ltd. ("Ganfeng Lithium" or "GFL")." 

Venture Beat:

Tesla to build electric cars, battery-charging network in China

Above: Another happy-looking Tesla driver.

Image Credit: Jonathan Chen

We’ve expected it for some time, but now it’s been confirmed: Tesla will build electric cars in China in the next three to four years.

While Chinese production won’t replace the company’s facilities in the U.S, it will give Tesla a foothold in an ever-growing market–and help it avoid China’s hefty 25 percent import tariff.

According to Bloomberg, Tesla’s plans also include building a network of battery charging stations in the country–both Tesla’s dedicated Supercharger stations and others too.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk described China as “very important” to the future of the company, speaking at a conference in Beijing.

He said Tesla will make a “big investment” in the country in terms of charging infrastructure, but also expects to make cars in China in the next three to four years.

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See also: Tesla CEO Elon Musk visits China amid consumer complaints

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The move is likely to involve a joint-venture with a Chinese automaker to avoid punitive duties–just as Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Jaguar-Land Rover and several other automakers do (or plan to do) to avoid the country’s heavy tax penalties.

Sales of the Model S electric sedan will begin in China next week. Tesla is applying an unusual pricing strategy in the country, refusing to charge more than the car’s U.S. price plus import and sales taxes, and shipping costs–unlike many other automakers, who often add a premium.

Musk believes it’s important that Tesla offers its customers good value for money. “I don’t think ripping off customers is a good long-term strategy,” he told Bloombergback in January.

The car’s $121,000 Chinese price tag will actually make the car a great deal more affordable than many conventionally-fueled rivals–likely making China one of Tesla’s biggest markets.

Despite Tesla’s confidence, the company is still unlikely to have it easy.

Electric cars have been a hard sell in China so far, with only 17,600 plug-in vehicles in total finding homes there last year.

Incentives are relatively high, but the high price of electric vehicles is still dissuading many customers. Charging infrastructure is also an issue, in a country where millions live in high-rise city dwellings with no easy access to charging facilities.

Musk is hoping the Model S will qualify for Chinese subsidies, though its higher market segment means price and charging access may not be as much of an issue as it is for lower-end vehicles.

Either way, Chinese production and Tesla’s efforts to improve charging infrastructure should both play in the company’s favor. The next few years could be interesting ones indeed for Tesla.

This story originally appeared on Green Car Reports."

Lithium Drive: UK Government commits to electric cars LIT, ILC.v, TNR.v, RM.v

 Electric cars are taking the world with one car at a time. Tesla Model S has made them the reality and upcoming mass market electric car from Tesla Motors will make this revolution for real. BMW i3 will challenge the urban mobility status quo this year as well. UK is destined to be the leader in Electric cars with its relatively low average range driving statistics and system of Tesla's Superchargers can do the trick. Elon Musk is the official adviser of the UK government now and we can expect that things will start moving fast in the right direction. Today we have another positive step towards real energy independence and clean air in London.

  China is literally chocking with pollution and electric cars are the obvious solution for urban mobility over there. Lithium developers are out of market favour now, but wait when investors will connect the dots again. Ganfeng Lithium is already the market leader in China in the lithium strategic supply chain and  extending its raw material base with International Lithium strategic partnership. Today's news from UK are putting new perspective to International Lithium 10 million J/V development partnership in Ireland with Ganfeng Lithium. 

  From International Lithium Annual General Meeting:

"Mr. Kirill Klip stated, "We are working to advance our Blackstairs Lithium project early in 2014 under the ten million dollar joint venture with strategic partner Ganfeng Lithium Co. Ltd. ("GFL"). We are also working with GFL on a corporate structure that will enable the companies to move forward on the Mariana lithium-potash brine project in Argentina."

International Lithium: Jiangxi Ganfeng Lithium to Raise $81.5 Mln via Private Placement ILC.v, TNR.v, LIT

"Now Ganfeng Lithium has the capital to advance its development programs with International Lithium. Once the tax loss selling will be over International Lithium should enjoy better market perception with further advance of Lithium properties in Ireland, Argentina and Canada. Ganfeng Lithium production facilities development shows China's appetite for strategic commodities for electric revolution in order to make transportation and personal mobility still possible after recent pollution scare."

The Telegraph:

Government commits to electric cars

Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister, has said the government remains committed to electric vehicles

Charge! Go Ultra Low is supported Nissan, Renault, BMW, Vauxhall and Toyota 

By Nick Gibbs

6:30AM GMT 31 Jan 2014

The UK Government remains committed to electric cars and there is “no date in the diary” for stopping subsidies to make them more affordable. That was the message from Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister, as he helped to launch Go Ultra Low, a £2.5 million campaign to promote the benefits of electric and plug-in hybrid cars to buyers.

Clegg was speaking at an event held at the Ace Café in north London, where he also announced the government will invest £9 million to install more rapid charge-points to make motorway journeys by electric car feasible.

Take-up of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles remains low despite subsidies of up to £5,000 for cars and £8,000 for vans. Last year the Government said that as of the end of September, just 5,702 claims for the subsidy had been made.

“Our clear objective is to move the car fleet in this country to ultra low-emission vehicles by 2040 and to put money and policy money behind it,” said Clegg. The Government classes any car emitting less than 75g/km of CO2 as ultra-low emission.

Go Ultra Low brings together five of the biggest EV and plug-in hybrid makers in this country – BMW, Nissan, Renault, Toyota and Vauxhall – to deliver a joint message alongside the Government about the benefits of electric motoring.

“To many people, an EV is still a G-Wiz”, said Michael Hurwitz, director of energy and technology at the Department for Transport (DfT), referring to the Indian-built electric micro-car.

The fact that normally combative car-makers are collaborating on the campaign gives an idea of how determined this drive for green cars has become, as well as perhaps how far away a sustainable electric car market is in the UK. “I can’t remember a time when manufacturers have worked together like this,” said Jim Wright, head of Nissan in the UK.

Last year just 1.3 percent of vehicle sales were alternative-fuel, including regular hybrids such as the Toyota Auris Hybrid. A total of 2,512 pure electric cars found homes while 3,584 plug-in hybrids such as plug-equipped versions of the Volvo V60 and Toyota Prius were sold.

Next year BMW has said it expects to sell 2,000 of its new i3 electricand range extender city car. Suzanne Gray, head of BMW’s electric 'i’ programme, told The Telegraph she agreed that five per cent of sales would be a sustainable figure, which would represent about 6,000-7,000 sales for the brand.

However, Gray added that it was vital the subsidies remained. “If you stopped subsidies at the end of 2015 then the market will suddenly dry up. It needs to run for longer than that.”

She said the Go Ultra Low campaign was essential to get buyers into showrooms: “We’ve got a huge education task to do. Knowledge levels are not high.”

Selling more cars is one thing, but there must also be the infrastructure to support them. Surprising, then, that the Government seems unsure as to the number of charging points in the UK. One Go Ultra Low graphic showed the figure at 15,000, another at 7,000, while a statement from the Deputy Prime Minister put the number at “more than 6,000”.

More encouraging is that by the end of the year “the majority” of motorway service stations will have a rapid charger that will be able to top up batteries to about 80 per cent full in 30 minutes.

Those thinking of making the switch will also be reassured to hear that a DfT official told The Telegraph that subsidies would carry on until ultra-low emission cars “were part of everyday life”. He went on to say that would mean the cars were taking five per cent of overall sales, which is equivalent to just over 100,000 cars based on 2013 figures.

No doubt this new campaign will spread the ultra-low emissions message, and the manufacturers hope that buyers are listening."

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