LG Chem, Korea’s largest chemical company, is expected to supply electric vehicle (EV) batteries for Tesla’s first plant in China. Until now, Tesla has relied on Japanese battery maker Panasonic for the EV models it produces in the U.S. Production of Tesla’s Model 3 in China is set to begin later this year, less than 12 months after it started building its plant in Shanghai. For LG Chem, the deal reflects the company’s leadership in the lithium-ion battery market; LG Chem already has partnerships with automakers like Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo. LG Chem projects that it will double its EV battery sales in the next five years, from $24 billion today to over $50 billion by 2024.8
8. InsideEVs, “LG Chem To Increase Battery Sales Fivefold By 2024,” Jul 9, 2019.