Chinese CATL is ready to start producing traction batteries in the USA if Trump allows it

A very extensive interview with the founder and head of CATL, Robin Zeng, to Reuters also touched on the rather pressing issue of localizing the production of traction batteries for electric vehicles not only in Europe, but also in the USA. According to the founder of the world’s largest battery manufacturer, CATL is ready to build a plant in the United States, but for this it must obtain government permission.

Image source: CATL

«Initially, when we wanted to invest in the USA, the government refused us,” explained the head of CATL, immediately adding that he himself is distinguished by his open views on this problem. It must be said that the Biden government has managed to make life difficult for Chinese manufacturers. In the case of the import of finished electric vehicles, the customs duty will be 100% of their cost, and supplies of Chinese-made batteries will be subject to protective duties. Tesla, which previously supplied electric vehicles equipped with Chinese traction batteries to the United States, stopped doing so after the tariff increase. In addition, such cars previously could not qualify for a full subsidy for the purchase of an electric car by American citizens; only half of the required $7,500 was compensated.

Because of such measures, rival BYD, which disputes Tesla’s status as the world’s largest electric vehicle manufacturer, was forced to focus on developing the Latin American market. Donald Trump, as noted by Reuters, previously stated that he welcomes the idea of ​​localizing the assembly of Chinese electric vehicles in the United States. The head of CATL was inspired by Trump’s statements and now expresses hope that the future US government is open to investment from Chinese businesses in the country’s automotive industry.

However, CATL is formally already present on American soil, since the Chinese company has licensed its traction battery technology to a Ford plant in Michigan, which will assemble LFP-type traction batteries for its electric vehicles. Moreover, Tesla also has a similar agreement on licensing CATL battery production technologies, and if it can be implemented, the production of batteries under this scheme will be launched in Nevada in 2025. In China, CATL is the largest supplier of batteries for Tesla electric vehicles, assembled at a facility in Shanghai.

The founder of CATL also described Tesla’s development vector in the field of autopilot as correct. Robin Zeng and Elon Musk managed to talk on this topic during the visit of the head of Tesla to Beijing in April of this year. The head of CATL also told Musk that his bet on cylindrical battery cells like 4680 would be a failure and would not pay off. According to Zeng, Musk is not very good at battery technology, but is good at chips, software, hardware and mechanics.

When the conversation turned to the unrealistic deadlines that Musk sets for Tesla employees, he explained to his Chinese interlocutor that any project that takes more than two years to implement can stretch on indefinitely. With his unrealistic promises, the American billionaire is simply trying to motivate Tesla employees to work more actively.