EV graphite processor Urbix expands to the UK

Urbix Inc., a U.S.-based graphite processor, has announced the first stage of its global expansion program by establishing a UK entity. Urbix UK, Ltd. will be strategically crucial to accelerate deployment of local facilities to supply UK and European-based automakers and battery industries with Urbix’s advanced materials for anodes. The company aims to supply 30% of EVs in the U.S., UK and Europe by 2030.

The company will work with UK battery partners to test and validate its CSPG (Coated Spherical Purified Graphite). Early results and feedback from automakers indicated that Urbix’s drop-in graphite replacement is meeting and surpassing current customer specifications. This has substantial downstream benefits,the company says, contributing to EV batteries that are more efficient, possess a longer life cycle and achieve a greater energy density at a lower cost.

According to the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC), the UK needs three to six gigafactories capable of 90GWh of battery capacity by 2030 in order to support the current size of the UK’s car industry. Graphite is the largest material by mass in electric vehicle batteries and is almost entirely processed in China, Urbix says. Lack of diversity in the supply chain is leaving manufacturers exposed to fluctuations in price and shortages expected as early as this year. To meet electric vehicle demand, Benchmark Minerals Intelligence predicts European (including UK) demand for graphite will reach 916,000 tonnes annually (for EVs, energy storage systems and portables).

Urbix says its CSPG graphite is processed using just 10% of the energy, 6% of the acid, 7% of the time and double the yield compared to existing processes. Urbix’s method benefits from a highly resilient supply chain as it is compatible with raw graphite from multiple global locations meaning it is not dependent on a single source of graphite and does not need to source from China. The company is currently commissioning its 1,000 tonne capacity pilot line and expects to be at 32,000 tonnes per year full-scale production by 2024.

BorgWarner has agreed to acquire the electric vehicle solution, smart grid and smart energy businesses of Hubei Surpass Sun Electric (SSE). The transaction has an enterprise value of up to RMB 410 million (approx. $59.36 million).

Headquartered in Xiangyang, Hubei province, China, SSE’s electrification business supplies patented electric vehicle charging solutions to customers in China and more than 70 other countries. SSE says it has delivered over 50,000 charging points and has led the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) of more than 250 charging station sites. SSE’s charging and electrification capabilities in China are expected to complement BorgWarner’s existing capabilities in Europe and North America, the companies say. SSE’s 2022 revenues for the electrification business are expected to be approximately RMB 180 million (approx. $26.06 million).