Risks in High-Capacity Batteries (Including Electric Vehicle Batteries): U.S. Department of Energy Request for Information

The United States Department of Energy (“DOE”) published in the March 29th Federal Register a Request for Information (“RFI”) regarding the:

Risks in the High-Capacity Batteries, Including Electric Vehicle Batteries Supply Chain

See 86 Fed. Reg. 16343.

DOE states that the RFI is being issued in response to a February 24th Executive Order (“EO”) issued by President Biden.

EO 14017 was issued to assess the need for resilient, diverse, and secure supply chains to “ensure U.S. economic prosperity and national security.”

DOE notes, as related to EO 14017, it is addressing how the policy objectives in that document:

. . . affect the supply chain for high-capacity batteries, including electric vehicle batteries, including but not limited to the following elements:

1. Critical materials including battery grade nickel, cobalt and lithium, underlying the supply chain for high-capacity batteries, including electric vehicle batteries;
2. Manufacturing and other capabilities necessary to produce high-capacity batteries;
3. The availability of the key skill sets and personnel necessary to sustain a competitive U.S. high-capacity batteries ecosystem;
4. Risks or contingencies that may disrupt the high-capacity batteries supply chain;
5. The resilience and capacity of the high-capacity battery supply chain to support national and economic security and emergency preparedness;
6. Potential impact of the failure to sustain or develop elements of the high-capacity supply chain in the United States on other key downstream capabilities;
7. Policy recommendations or suggested executive, legislative, regulatory changes, or actions to ensure a resilient supply chain for high-capacity batteries; and
8. Additional comments relevant to the assessment of the high-capacity batteries manufacturing and advanced packing supply chains required by E.O. 14017

A copy of the Federal Register Notice can be downloaded here.