September 16, 2022: Chinese battery giant CATL said on September 9 that cobalt and lithium used in a battery cells supply deal with Germany’s BMW will be sourced from “certified mines”.
The move to head-off potential criticism over sustainability and human rights issues came on the same day the companies announced a multi-year agreement on the supply of next-generation cylindrical battery cells to power BMW’s ‘Neue Klasse’ electric vehicles starting from 2025.
The partners said the agreement was based on their “shared commitment to building a sustainable and in future circular battery value chain”.
CATL said it would “primarily use renewable energies and secondary materials for the production of the high-performance battery cells”.
According to the agreement, CATL will deliver the new cylindrical battery cells, which come with a standard diameter of 46 millimetres and will be produced at two of CATL’s future battery plants in China and Europe, each with an annual capacity of up to 20GWh dedicated to BMW.
Joachim Post, BMW’s board of management member for purchasing and supplier network, said: “CATL is a strong, dedicated partner that values sustainable action just as much as we do. Our two companies will continue to lead the way in the future and are committed to sustainable, environmentally-responsible practices.”