Tesla Starts Cathode Facility Operations at Gigafactory Texas
Tesla says its new cathode facility at Gigafactory Texas has started large-scale operations, the first on the continent to process key battery materials for electric vehicles. The process mixes a nickel-, manganese- and cobalt-based precursor with lithium hydroxide, compresses it, runs it through a kiln, then removes magnetic impurities. Environmental groups urged city leaders to withhold a 2022 permit application over water contamination and affordable water access for nearby communities, while Tesla points to high-nickel cathode chemistry