Topic: Gigafactory

China currently produces 75% of the world's lithium-ion batteries, while the U.S. accounts for only 7%. Special Presidential Coordinator Amos Hochstein stated that the U.S. is in a race to diversify its supply chain, which is currently dependent on Chinese-owned mines in Africa and South America. While the U.S. seeks to increase domestic mining in states like Nevada and the Carolinas, it remains heavily reliant on foreign processing and refining capabilities.

Sir Joel Blazek, a feeder driver for UPS in Reno, reports on the essential nature of the trucking industry during the pandemic. He also discusses the culture clash between American and Japanese workers at the Tesla Gigafactory, where Panasonic technicians are training local staff on battery production.

Bloomberg TV's Alix Steel provides a report on the Tesla Gigafactory and the global lithium supply. The production process for lithium involves extracting it from brine over a two-year evaporation period, eventually pounding the material into a white powder that the reporter compared to the appearance of cocaine.