Sign up for our popular daily email to catch all the latest EV news!
Lucid Group, Inc. is making significant moves to strengthen its American supply chain for electric vehicle (EV) battery components. The company recently announced a new multi-year supply agreement with Graphite One for US-sourced natural graphite. This initiative is part of Lucid’s broader strategy to increasingly utilize raw materials mined and processed within the United States for its advanced EVs, aiming to bolster domestic manufacturing and reduce reliance on foreign sources.
Key Highlights:
- Lucid has signed a multi-year agreement with Graphite One for natural graphite to be sourced from Alaska, with production expected to start in 2028.
- This new deal complements a 2024 agreement with Graphite One for US-produced synthetic graphite from its Ohio facility, also beginning in 2028.
- Syrah Resources is set to supply Lucid with natural graphite active anode material (AAM) from its Louisiana facility, starting in 2026, under a three-year term.
- These agreements underscore Lucid’s commitment to establishing a localized US supply chain for critical minerals essential for EV batteries.
- Graphite, in both natural and synthetic forms, is a vital component in lithium-ion batteries, crucial for their performance and fast-charging capabilities.
The latest agreement with Graphite One will provide Lucid and its battery cell suppliers with natural graphite sourced from the Graphite Creek deposit north of Nome, Alaska, with production anticipated to commence in 2028. This partnership builds upon a previous announcement from 2024, where Graphite One committed to supplying Lucid with American-made synthetic graphite. This synthetic material will be produced at Graphite One’s proposed active anode material facility in Warren, Ohio, also with an expected start date of 2028.
Marc Winterhoff, Interim CEO at Lucid, highlighted the strategic significance of these domestic partnerships. “A supply chain of critical materials within the United States drives our nation’s economy, increases our independence against outside factors or market dynamics, and supports our efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of our vehicles,” stated Winterhoff. “These partnerships are another example of our commitment to powering American innovation and manufacturing with localized supply chains.”
Echoing this sentiment, Anthony Huston, CEO of Graphite One, remarked on the continued collaboration. “This agreement complements the deal we struck with Lucid in 2024 – which marked the first synthetic graphite agreement between a U.S. graphite developer and a U.S. EV company,” Huston said. “We made history then – and we’re continuing to make history now as we build momentum for our efforts to develop a fully domestic graphite supply chain, to meet market demands and strengthen U.S. industry and national defense.”
In addition to the Graphite One agreements, Lucid is also set to receive natural graphite AAM from Syrah Resources beginning in 2026. Under their agreement, Syrah will collaborate with Lucid or its battery suppliers to provide these materials over a three-year period. Syrah’s natural graphite AAM will be sourced from its vertically integrated AAM production facility in Vidalia, Louisiana.
Collectively, these strategic agreements for both natural and synthetic graphite demonstrate Lucid’s determined focus on building a resilient and US-based supply chain. By securing domestic sources for critical minerals like graphite—a major component of lithium-ion batteries essential for optimal performance and fast-charging—Lucid aims to enhance its manufacturing capabilities and contribute to American industrial strength.
Sign up for our popular daily email to catch all the latest EV news!
