News
President Biden to announce investments that will secure Made in America mineral supply chain
President Joe Biden and the White House will announce major investments to expand the domestic critical minerals supply chain later today. The plans intend to break the United States’ dependence on China while boosting sustainable practices.
President Biden will meet with Administration and State Partners, along with industry executives, community representatives, labor leaders, and California Governor Gavin Newsom to announce the investments, the White House said today. The investments plan to hone in on the domestic production of key critical minerals and materials, which will create “good-paying, union jobs in sustainable production.”
The White House says the acquisition of the minerals is essential for nearly every part of everyday life, from entertainment to business, to transportation. While the minerals are essential for everything from household appliances to computers, President Biden’s focus on sustainability seems to be the main accelerator for the massive investments. The White House says that demand for critical minerals is set to skyrocket by between 400 and 600 percent in the next several decades, with EV battery demand increasing by 4,000 percent. Currently, the U.S. purchases many of these materials from foreign entities, especially China. “The U.S. is increasingly dependent on foreign sources for many of the processed versions of these minerals,” the White House said. “Globally, China controls most of the market for processing and refining for cobalt, lithium, rare earths, and other critical minerals.
The plan starts with a $35 million award to MP Materials on behalf of the Department of Defense “to separate and process heavy rare earth elements at its facility in Mountain Pass, California, establishing a full end-to-end domestic permanent magnet supply chain.” MP Materials plans to invest an additional $700 million to create 350 jobs by 2024.
Redwood Materials will also be at the event, discussing a pilot for its “pathways program” with Ford and Volvo for the collection and recycling of lithium-ion batteries that have reached their end-of-life.
-->Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm will discuss its $140 million demonstration project, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) “to recover rare earth elements and critical minerals from coal ash and other mine waste, reducing the need for new mining.” Granholm will also detail $3 billion in funding created by the BIL which will be used to invest in refining battery materials such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and graphite, and battery recycling facilities, creating good-paying clean energy manufacturing jobs.
The White House also will congratulate MP Materials, BHE Renewables, Controlled Thermal Resources, EnergySource Minerals, General Motors, and Tesla for their various announcements which commit to the domestic sourcing of critical minerals and materials.
- MP Materials recently announced construction of a rare earth metal, alloy and magnet manufacturing facility in Texas and a long-term supply agreement with General Motors to power the motors in more than a dozen of GM’s EV models. Production will begin next year, with capacity to produce enough magnets to power 500,000 EV motors annually.
- In addition to BHE Renewables, Controlled Thermal Resources (CTR) and EnergySource Minerals have established operations in Imperial County to extract lithium from geothermal brine. GM will source lithium for EV batteries from CTR. The companies are also working with the state-authorized Lithium Valley Commission to develop a royalty structure that would invest profits from their operations in infrastructure, health, and educational investments for the residents of the surrounding region.
- Tesla intends to source high-grade nickel for EV batteries from Talon Metals’ Tamarack nickel project under development in Minnesota. Talon Metals and the United Steelworkers (USW) have established a workforce development partnership for the project to train workers on next-generation technologies in the local community and from mining regions in the U.S. facing declining demand. As part of this partnership, Talon has agreed to remain neutral in any union organizing efforts by USW.
CNN also reports that two additional announcements not included on the White House Fact Sheet will also be included in the presentation later today
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News
Tesla FSD approved for testing in Nacka, Sweden, though municipality note reveals aggravating detail
Nacka, Sweden, a municipality just a few miles from Stockholm, has given its approval for FSD tests.
Tesla has secured approval for FSD testing in an urban environment in Sweden. As per recent reports from the Tesla community, Nacka, Sweden, a municipality just a few miles from Stockholm, has given its approval for FSD tests.
A look at the municipality’s note regarding FSD’s approval, however, reveals something quite aggravating.
FSD testing approval secured
As per Tesla watcher and longtime shareholder Alexander Kristensen, Nacka is governed by the Moderate Party. The shareholder also shared the municipality’s protocol notes regarding approval for FSD’s tests.
“It is good that Nacka can be a place for test-driving self-driving cars. This is future technology that can both facilitate mobility and make transportation cheaper and more environmentally friendly,” the note read.
The update was received positively by the Tesla community on social media, as it suggests that the electric vehicle maker is making some legitimate headway in releasing FSD into the region. Sweden has been particularly challenging as well, so securing approval in Nacka is a notable milestone for the company’s efforts.
-->Aggravating details
A look at the notes from Nacka shows that FSD’s proposed tests still met some opposition from some officials. But while some critics might typically point to safety issues as their reasons for rejecting FSD, those who opposed the system in Nacka openly cited Tesla’s conflict with trade union IF Metall in their arguments. Fortunately, Nacka officials ultimately decided in Tesla’s favor as the company’s issues with the country’s unions are a completely different matter.
“The left-wing opposition (S, Nackalistan, MP and V) voted no to this, referring to the fact that the applicant company Tesla is involved in a labor market conflict and does not want to sign a collective agreement. We believe that this is not an acceptable reason for the municipality to use its authority to interfere in a labor law conflict.
“Signing a collective agreement is not an obligation, and the company has not committed any crime. The municipality should contribute to technological development and progress, not work against the future,” the note read.
News
Tesla Model 3 and Model Y named top car buys in Norway
Despite growing competition from European and Korean brands, both models stood out for their balance of price, performance, and everyday usability.
Norway’s annual roundup of the best car purchases featured Tesla’s two main sellers this year, with the Model 3 and Model Y securing top positions in their respective segments.
Despite growing competition from European and Korean brands, both models stood out for their balance of price, performance, and everyday usability. The verdict comes as electric vehicle adoption remained above 95% of new vehicle sales in the country.
Tesla Model 3 strengthens its value position
Among compact EVs, the Tesla Model 3 maintained its position as the best overall buy thanks to its strong blend of performance, efficiency, and updated features. Reviewers noted that every trim offered compelling value, especially with the all-electric sedan’s improved cabin ergonomics and the return of the turn-signal stalk, which was one of the few previous complaints among drivers.
The Model 3’s mix of long-range capability, low operating costs, and responsive handling has continued to set the benchmark for compact EVs in Norway. While competitors from Hyundai, Volkswagen, and Peugeot have narrowed the gap, Tesla’s price-to-capability ratio has remained difficult to beat in this segment, Motor.no reported.
“The Model 3 clearly offers the best value for money in the compact class, no matter which version you choose. Now it also gets the turn signal lever back. This eliminates one of the few flaws in a driving environment that many believe is the best on the market,” the publication wrote.
-->Tesla Model Y claims its crown
The Tesla Model Y emerged as Norway’s top family-car purchase this year. The latest refresh introduced improvements in ride quality, styling, and interior materials, allowing the Model Y to deliver a more premium driving experience without a substantial price increase.
Reviewers praised its spacious cabin, strong safety profile, and practical range, all of which reinforced its appeal for families needing an all-purpose electric crossover. The Model Y remains especially notable given its continued popularity in Norway even as Tesla faces declining sales in other global markets.
“The Model Y is back as the winner in the family class. The upgrade in the new year was even more extensive than expected. It is a slightly more elegant and significantly more comfortable Model Y that solidifies its position as Norway’s best car purchase in the most important class,” the Norwegian motoring publication noted.
News
Tesla Giga Berlin is still ramping production to meet Model Y demand: plant manager
Tesla Gigafactory Berlin has expanded to two full shifts, as per the facility’s plant manager, and a lot of it is due to Model Y demand.
Tesla Gigafactory Berlin has expanded to two full shifts, as per the facility’s plant manager, and a lot of it is due to Model Y demand. While registrations in some countries such as Sweden have fallen sharply this year, the company’s sales in other key territories have been rising.
Giga Berlin shifts to two shifts
Giga Berlin factory manager André Thierig told the DPA that the facility has been running two shifts since September to manage a surge in global orders. And due to the tariff dispute with the United States, vehicles that are produced at Giga Berlin are now being exported to Canada.
“We deliver to well over 30 markets and definitely see a positive trend there,” Thierig said.
Despite Giga Berlin now having two shifts, the facility’s production still needs to ramp up more. This is partly due to the addition of the Tesla Model Y Performance and Standard, which are also being produced in the Grunheide-based factory. Interestingly enough, Giga Berlin still only produces the Model Y, unlike other factories like Gigafactory Texas, the Fremont Factory, and Gigafactory Shanghai, which produce more than one type of vehicle.
Norway’s momentum
Norway, facing an imminent tax increase on cars, has seen a historic spike in Tesla purchases as buyers rush to secure deliveries before the change takes effect, as noted in a CarUp report. As per recent reports, Tesla has broken Norway’s all-time annual sales record this month, beating Volkswagen’s record that has stood since 2016.
-->What is rather remarkable is the fact that Tesla was able to achieve so much in Norway with one hand practically tied behind its back. This is because the company’s biggest sales draw, FSD, remains unavailable in the country. Fortunately, Tesla is currently hard at work attempting to get FSD approved for Europe, a notable milestone that should spur even more vehicle sales in the region.
Tesla FSD approved for testing in Nacka, Sweden, though municipality note reveals aggravating detail
Tesla Model 3 and Model Y named top car buys in Norway
