Tesla lithium refinery project moves to private negotiations in Texas
Tesla is currently working on a lithium refinery project that would be coming to Corpus Christi, Texas, and it sounds like the automaker is in the final stretch of its negotiations with the authorities.
In September, we learned that Tesla has a plan to build a lithium refining facility on the Gulf Coast of Texas.
At the time, we knew very little about the project other than Tesla was planning on moving fast with hope to start building in Q4 2022.
Now it looks like Tesla is in the last stretch of the approval process with local authorities.
On Wednesday, local news KIII TV reported that Nueces County Commissioners unanimously voted to move negotiations between county leaders and Tesla to executive session, which implies in private.
Nueces County Judge Barbara Canales commented:
“You don’t typically, put your lawyer on camera to give you legal advice that your supposed to listen to that helps you formulate your opinion. Because you’re negotiating with the other.”
They confirmed that they are negotiating with Tesla on tax abatements for a piece of property near Robstown, Texas, 25 minutes outside of Corpus Christi.
More details about the project were revealed as part of the negotiations, including that Tesla would invest about $365 million in the lithium plant, which would employ about 165 people full-time plus another 250 construction jobs for about two years.
Tesla presented the project as the “development of a battery-grade lithium hydroxide refining facility, the first of its kind in North America, as well as facilities to support other types of battery materials processing, refining, and manufacturing and ancillary manufacturing operations in support of Tesla’s sustainable product line.”
The automaker is also touting its project as having a smaller impact on the environment than other lithium refining:
Tesla will process raw ore material into a usable state for battery production. The process Tesla will use is innovative and designed to consume less hazardous reagents and create usable byproducts compare to the conventional process.
In the application, Tesla made it clear that the final product from this new plant is going to be battery-grade lithium hydroxide:
The final product, battery-grade lithium hydroxide, will be packaged and shipped by truck andrail to various Tesla battery manufacturing sites supporting the necessary supply chain for large scale and electric vehicle batteries.
Tesla also included a long list of improvements it plans to bring to the site including: supporting infrastructure and lithium refining equipment, operation buildings, laboratory for R&D (research and development) and quality controls, new access roadways, parking lots, loading docks, logistics facilities, process warehouse and maintenance buildings, utility distribution improvements including underground utility piping, structural foundations, pads, supports, electrical substations, rail spur for use exclusive to this project, cooling towers, fire prevention equipment, safety equipment, storm water management facilities, waste management facilities, and wastewater treatment infrastructure.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has previously called lithium refining a “license to print money” due to the high margins in the industry.
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Environment
Gotrax S3 Fat Tire e-bike $464, WORX 1,800 PSI pressure washer $108, Anker Everfrost 2 up to $350 off, more
As we continue to make our way through a new week, more deals have emerged. Today’s headliners range from an already-affordable e-bike that now costs less, a pressure washer to help tidy up your home’s exterior, and a nice selection of portable refrigerators. More specifically, we’re talking about Gotrax’s foldable S3 Fat Tire electric bike down at $464, this WORX 1,800 PSI electric pressure washer for $108, and finally, a variety of models and combo offers on Anker’s EverFrost 2 electric coolers.
Head below for more and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.
Gotrax’s compact and foldable S3 Fat Tire electric bike drops to $464 at Amazon (Reg. $529)
Now is great time to be enjoying the outdoors and Amazon is here to help with the Gotrax S3 Fat Tire Electric Bike in gray down at $464 shipped. For comparison, this model tends to clock in at $529, so you’re looking at a $65 markdown. Today’s offer is $41 above the all-time low, which hasn’t occured since an off-season discount back in January. Considering the fact that we’re right in the middle of summer now, $65 off what is one of the more affordable e-bikes out there is certainly worth considering. Learn more about what this model is capable of in the details down below.
Outfitted with a peak 750W motor, this compact e-bike can reach up to 20 MPH speeds. You can use it in a pedal-assisted mode to travel “up to 25 miles” or enjoy a pure electric ride for as many as “15.5 miles.” Once the battery is depleted, plug it in and you’ll be ready to go again in roughly 5 hours. I really like the compact nature of this e-bike, and this really rings true given its foldable design, making it easy to pack up and take to a local bike path.
Make your home and patio look as good as new with WORX 1,800 PSI electric pressure washer at $108 (Save 29%)
Over at Amazon you can currently find the WORX 1,800 PSI Electric Pressure Washer for $107.78 shipped. Lately, this unit has been going for around $152 there, but directly from WORX it fetches the full retail price of $180. Today’s offer is the best we’ve tracked at Amazon throughout 2025, with the all-time low of $93 having last landed roughly a year ago. For details about what you can expect from this pressure washer, head down below.
Now that summer is here, this is an ideal time to clear off debris that has been building up on your home, patio, driveway, and more. I own a unit with a similar amount of power that you’ll find in this 1,800 PSI model and it’s offered more than enough power to tidy things up at my home. This unit operates using 1.2 gallons per minute, has a 20-foot hose, as well as a few types of nozzles. Other notable perks include a metal frame and onboard soap tank. Since this unit runs off electricity, you won’t have to worry about stocking up on gas or the mess that it can make.
Anker 58L EverFrost 2 Electric Cooler with 288Wh LFP Battery now $350 off for today only, more
Alongside Anker’s SOLIX early Prime Day sale, we are now tracking hundreds in savings on the brand’s SOLIX EverFrost 2 electric coolers. One standout here comes as part of the Best Buy Deals of the Day with the Anker SOLIX EverFrost 2 58L Electric Cooler that includes one 288Wh LFP battery down at $749.99 shipped. Regularly $1,100, this is up to $350 off the going rate and the lowest price we can find.
This model is currently on sale for $799 directly from the Anker SOLIX site and $800 over at Amazon, both now $50 above the one-day only offer coming from Best Buy. Today’s deal on the dual-zone electric cool is $100 under our Memorial Day mention and lands on par with the exclusive deal we brought you last month (that deal did include the Road Trip accessory kit though).
Either way you’re looking at some of the best prices we have tracked to date on the model above and a few other models in the lineup down below. Running on rechargeable LFP batteries, these coolers are really more like portable fridge and freezer systems to support your summer adventures, off-grid setups year round, and camping trips, some of which coming complete with solar inputs for additional charging options, onboard USB ports for tapping into the battery, and a fold-down tray.
Offers 4 convenient charging methods, ensuring endless power for all your cooling needs. Solar(100W max solar input), wall outlet, car socket, and 60W USB-C. With 3 cooling modes, choose the one that best fits your situation. Cool fast, optimize performance, or conserve power. Max Mode: fastest cooling; Smart Mode: balanced for performance; Eco Mode: most energy-efficient.
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The Chevy Equinox EV, or “America’s most affordable 315+ range EV,” as GM calls it, is red-hot. Thanks to the electric Equinox, Chevy is solidifying its position as the fastest-growing EV brand in the US. The Chevy Equinox EV helped GM’s electric vehicle sales more than double in Q2, but there’s more to the story.
The Chevy Equinox EV is charging up GM’s sales
GM surpassed Ford and Hyundai Motor last year to become the second-best EV seller in the US. This year, it’s closing the gap with Tesla.
Led by the Equinox EV, GM’s EV sales more than doubled in Q2, and Chevy solidified its position as the number two electric vehicle brand.
Chevy’s electric vehicle sales surged 134% in the first half. In Q2, Chevy sold 17,420 Equinox, 6,549 Blazer, and 3,056 Silverado EVs. Through June, GM has now sold 27,749 Equinox, 12,736 Blazer, and 5,439 electric Silverado models. The Chevy Equinox EV is expected to be one of the top three best-selling EVs in the US.
Although Chevy’s new EVs are a hit, they are not the only growth driver behind GM’s success. The American automaker sold a total of 46,280 electric vehicles in Q2, representing a 111% increase from the same period in 2024.
GM’s share of the EV market in Q2 was approximately 16%, with growth across the Chevy, Cadillac, and GMC brands.
Cadillac notched its 12th consecutive quarter of retail sales growth, achieving its highest market share since 2014.
With a full lineup of electric SUVs, including the entry-level (Optiq), midsize (Lyriq), and full-size (Vestiq and Escalade IQ), nearly one in four Cadillac models sold were EVs. GM sold 3,224 Cadillac Optiqs, its new entry-level EV, 5,017 Lyriqs, 1,744 Vistiqs, and 1,810 Escalade IQs in the second quarter.
After launching the new 2026 Sierra EV with an over $27,000 price cut from the 2025 model year, GMC sold over 1,500 electric Sierra models. Even the GMC Hummer EV is seeing more demand, with 4,508 units sold in Q2, up 54% from last year.
Starting at under $35,000 with up to 319 miles of range, it’s no wonder the Equinox EV is selling like hotcakes. With leases starting at just $289 per month, it’s a great deal right now. Who knew an affordable EV with over 300 miles of range would sell?
Looking to test one out for yourself? We can help you get started. You can use our links below to find Chevy, Cadillac, and GMC EVs in your area.
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Environment
Clean energy stocks jump after tax on solar and wind projects is removed from Trump’s big bill
Clean energy stocks rose on Tuesday after a tax on solar and wind projects was removed from the Senate version of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Shares of NextEra Energy, the largest renewables developer in the U.S., rose nearly 3% after the Senate narrowly passed President Donald Trump’s bill on Tuesday. AES, a leading renewable provider, rose almost 2%. The megabill will now go to the House of Representatives, where lawmakers will consider the Senate’s changes.
The clean energy industry was surprised and outraged to find over the weekend that a tax on wind and solar projects had been inserted into a version of the Senate legislation. The tax applied to projects that use components from foreign entities of concern above a certain threshold. Foreign entities of concern is widely understood to basically refer to China.
The American Clean Power Association and Solar Energy Industries Association told CNBC that the tax was struck from the Senate legislation. ACP had described the tax as punitive and warned that it would add up to $7 billion to the solar and wind industry’s tax burden.
The Invesco Solar ETF (TAN) over the past three months.
The benchmark Invesco Solar ETF (TAN) was up about 4%, while the iShares Global Clean Energy ETF (ICLN) was trading more than 1% higher after the legislation passed.
Shares of First Solar, the largest solar panel manufacturer in the U.S., slipped less than 1%. Sun tracker manufacturers Array Technologies and Nextracker jumped more than 11% and about 5%, respectively.
Residential solar installer Sunrun rose 9% while inverter manufacturers SolarEdge and Enphase were up about 8% and 4%, respectively.
But the Solar Energy Industries Association cautioned that the improvements in the Senate bill are “limited” and the legislation overall is still harmful to renewable energy.
“This legislation undermines the very foundation of America’s manufacturing comeback and global energy leadership,” CEO Abigail Ross Hopper said in a statement. “If this bill becomes law, families will face higher electric bills, factories will shut down, Americans will lose their jobs, and our electric grid will grow weaker.”
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