Battery materials
Overview
Growth in global electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) production has put a spotlight on battery materials. While lithium-ion batteries dominate the current market, this is a rapidly emerging technology space where improved range or charge times can quicky shift industry sentiment and investment in a different direction.
Argus is at the forefront of battery materials pricing and reporting with coverage of common battery metals (lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite), industry-grade cathodes and black mass. As experts in specialty metals and rare earths, we future-proof our price assessment portfolio with a range of electronic metals crucial to the manufacture of technology deployed in modern vehicles.
Our Argus Battery Materials and Argus Non-Ferrous Markets services help businesses to understand these complicated supply chains, including price volatility and sustainability challenges around future demand.
Minor metals: Battery metals
As automakers continue to invest in electric vehicle production and power companies explore infrastructure that includes energy storage programmes, the metals contained in lithium-ion batteries supporting these products has attracted interest from investors, institutions and manufacturers alike.
Argus is well positioned to provide insight into price volatility, global supply and responsible material sourcing for all manufacturers and investors in this sector.
Highlights of Argus battery materials coverage
- Understand the context of significant price movements and industry trends with a weekly PDF that highlights the most important market news across lithium, cobalt, graphite, nickel and other common battery materials
- Mitigate risk and perform reliable forward planning with 1-year and 10-year forecasts across different battery metals, chemistries and industries
- Gain a competitive edge with industry-specific tools, such as the Black Mass Calculator that estimates the intrinsic value of different battery chemistries (including cathodes like NCM111, NCM523, LFP, NCA)
- Invest with confidence knowing Argus is IOSCO-compliant with over 50 years of experience delivering trusted price data and market intelligence
Latest battery materials news
Browse the latest market moving news on the global battery materials industry.
Hyundai Motor plans $16.7bn Korean investment in 2025
Hyundai Motor plans $16.7bn Korean investment in 2025
Singapore, 9 January (Argus) — South Korean conglomerate Hyundai Motor, which owns major automotive brands Hyundai and Kia, plans to invest 24.3 trillion won ($16.7bn) in South Korea this year in what it said is its largest ever annual investment domestically. The domestic investment amount is W3.9 trillion or 19pc higher than in 2024, in a bid to "overcome the crisis" and "secure future growth engines" given global uncertainties through "continuous and stable" investment, said the group on 9 January. Around W12 trillion will go into its current investments and W11.5 trillion will go to research and development, while another W800bn will be injected into what it called "strategic investment". Hyundai Motor still plans to continue developing new electric vehicles (EVs) and accelerating the electrification transition, it said. A major investment in building an EV-only plant will be made this year, said the conglomerate. Kia's battery EV plant in Hwaseong that has a production capacity of 150,000 units/yr is still expected to be completed in the second half of 2025. Its EV plant in Ulsan is currently under construction and is expected to begin producing in the first half of 2026. Kia is expected to feature a full line-up of 15 EV models by 2027, while Hyundai is expected to have 21 EV models by 2030, said the group. The conglomerate sold around 4.14mn units of vehicles in 2024, down by 1.8pc on the year, mainly driven by lower domestic sales. Domestic sales totalled 705,010 units, down by 7.5pc on the year ,while its overseas sales were steady at almost 3.44mn units. A sales target of 4.17mn units has been set for 2025. South Korea's top battery maker LG Energy Solution (LGES), which supplies a significant number of batteries for Hyundai's and Kia's EV models, is expecting its 2024 operating profit and sales to see sharp falls, it said on 9 January. LGES earlier similarly indicated an uncertain outlook on the battery and EV market. LGES expects its 2024 operating profit to plunge by 73pc to W575.4bn and sales to fall by 24pc to W25.6 trillion. LGES expects to post its only quarterly loss of the year for October-December of W225.5bn, with sales expected to be down by 19pc on the year to W6.45 trillion during the quarter. LGES earlier has warned that significant cuts in capital expenditure from the firm during 2025 can be expected. By Joseph Ho Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Mazda to build Li battery pack plant in Japan
Mazda to build Li battery pack plant in Japan
Houston, 8 January (Argus) — Japanese automaker Mazda Motor plans to build a lithium battery module pack plant in Japan with an annual production capacity of 10GWh. Located in Yamaguchi, Japan, the plant will produce modules and packs for automotive cylindrical lithium-ion battery cells sourced from Japan's Panasonic Energy, Mazda said on Monday. These packs will be installed in Mazda's battery electric vehicles (BEVs) that uses a dedicated EV platform and manufactured at Mazda's vehicle plant in Japan. In September 2024, Mazda and Panasonic formed a partnership to supply battery for Mazda's upcoming BEVs set to launch in 2027. Japan's Ministry of Economy, trade and Industry approved their joint initiative aimed at expanding battery production and advancing technology development. By Carol Luk Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
VW and XPeng agree China EV charging network
VW and XPeng agree China EV charging network
London, 8 January (Argus) — German carmaker Volkswagen has signed an initial agreement with major Chinese electric vehicle (EV) producer XPeng to jointly build the largest super-fast EV charging network in China, Xpeng announced on 5 January. The network will include over 20,000 charging piles operated by both parties across 420 cities in China, and will be accessible to both XPeng and Volkswagen customers. The collaboration will likely extend to develop co-branded super-fast charging stations across China in the future, XPeng said. The initial agreement continues the growing partnership between Volkswagen and XPeng. Volkswagen invested $700mn in XPeng in July 2023, taking a 4.99pc stake in the firm. And the two companies plan to develop battery EVs under the Volkswagen brand, for sale in China. By Ellanee Kruck Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Lithium Americas increases Thacker Pass reserve
Lithium Americas increases Thacker Pass reserve
Houston, 7 January (Argus) — US lithium producer Lithium Americas raised its estimated mineral resource and reserves for the Thacker Pass lithium project, supporting an expansion that could boost its battery grade lithium carbonate capacity up to 160,000 metric tonnes (t)/yr. The updated proven and probable mineral reserve estimate for the Thacker Pass project now stands at 14.3mn t of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE), marking a 286pc increase since the November 2022 feasibility study, according to the latest technical report. Thacker Pass is now the largest measured lithium reserve and resource in the world and has the potential to become an unmatched district, generating American jobs and helping the US regain independence of its energy supply, president and chief executive Jonathan Evans said. The increase enables a phased expansion with an 85-year life of mine (LOM), targeting 160,000 t LCE/year, split into four phases of 40,000 t LCE/yr each. Construction of each of Phases 1 through 4 is expected to be spaced four years apart. US automaker General Motors (GM) holds a 38pc ownership stake in the project. GM has secured an offtake agreement for 100pc of Phase 1 output for 20 years, and 38pc of Phase 2 output for 20 years, with a right of first offer on the remaining Phase 2 volumes. The updated operating costs (OPEX) are $6,238/t LCE under the production scenario, optimized for the first 25 years of the 85-year LOM; and $8,039/t LCE in the base case, which covers the entire 85-year LOM. Carol Luk Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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Explore our battery materials and related products
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