"THE symbolism was clear last June when Emmanuel Macron, surrounded by factory workers, held up a sleek lithium battery in his right hand and a mining lamp in his left. He was in Douai, a northern French city with a coal mining history dating back to the 1700s. The city is now also the site of a battery factory, which would allow France to produce all parts of electric vehicles domestically. This factory, Macron declared, represented an "economic and ecological revolution.""
"In 2026, it's OK to nerd out at parties about batteries. Lithium batteries are turning solar and wind into 24/7 stable energy sources. Battery-powered cars are shaking up the multitrillion-dollar automotive industry and made Elon Musk the richest man on Earth. Lithium batteries even won a Nobel Prize, and the US government now categorizes lithium as a "critical mineral." Lithium's rising tides lifted one set of boats more than others-China's battalion of battery companies."
Emmanuel Macron showcased a lithium battery and a mining lamp in Douai to symbolize industrial transformation and energy transition. A new battery factory in Douai aims to enable domestic production of all electric-vehicle components, backed by major investment and technology transfer from Chinese firms. Envision's founder Zhang Lei committed up to €2 billion and provided mass-production expertise, while international investors trained local workers. Lithium batteries have transformed renewable energy storage and transportation, elevated companies like CATL and BYD, and prompted government designations of lithium as a critical mineral. In 2024, China produced more than 80 percent of global battery cells.
Read at WIRED
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