Hyperdrive

China’s BYD Joins Latin America Lithium Rush to Feed Electric-Car Switch

  • Firm holds talks to introduce new extraction method in Chile
  • In Brazil, it’s working on a ‘project for the extraction side’
Stella LiPhotographer: Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg
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Chinese electric-vehicle juggernaut BYD Co. is joining a Latin American lithium rush in a bid to lock in more supplies of the metal that’s a key component in EV batteries.

In Chile, the nation with the biggest reserves of lithium, BYD is holding talks with authorities and companies including SQM on a new extraction technology, while in Brazil it’s working on a small standalone project, Executive Vice President Stella Li said in an interview Tuesday.