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The evil empire of ExxonMobil is taking a slight reprieve from birthing oil barons to invest its time and money into a promising new venture – lithium. The carbon-clad gasoline company has begun drilling for a different earth material in the US, with an aim to become a leading supplier of lithium vital to current EV battery chemistry by the end of the decade. Do you think they’re using zero-emissions equipment yet?

ExxonMobil is the current multinational iteration of a gas company whose history dates back to John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil in the late 1800s. Ever since then, the company has been helping the world get around in combustion vehicles, much at the expense of Mother Earth and the future of humankind.

It pains us to even cover a company like ExxonMobil, as its history in environmentalism is as filthy as the oil it drums up. Despite being one of the top polluters in the US, the oil company has contributed mere peanuts to the research and development of cleaner and more sustainable fuel alternatives. There’s also evidence the company had clear knowledge of the effects of fossil fuels on global warming as early as the 1970s yet purposefully worked to paint a different narrative to the public.

It’s very tough to deny climate change these days (although a staggering amount of people still do), but automakers like Tesla have kicked the door in on a dinosaur of an industry (pun intended), showing the world that electric vehicles are not only viable modes of transportation, but they can also be cool as hell compared to traditional gas cars.

Nearly every legacy automaker today has vowed to inevitably expel combustion vehicle sales over the next decade or two, setting an expiry on new gas vehicles and a certain reduction in fossil fuel demand. As such, we’ve seen oil conglomerates like Shell begin venturing into EV charging infrastructure, looking to replace its current footprint of fuel pumps with EV charging piles.

ExxonMobil is taking a similar, yet different approach – using its know-how in oil drilling to begin sourcing lithium – a precious rare earth material vital to EV batteries – in the US. While this is welcomed news to an extent, it’s not difficult to see the motive behind ExxonMobil’s expansion into lithium and it sure as hell isn’t about saving the planet.

  • ExxonMobil lithium
  • ExxonMobil lithium

ExxonMobil looks to capitalize off huge lithium demand

The company announced it has officially begun the first phase of its North America lithium production project in southwest Arkansas, under a new sub-brand Mobil Lithium. ExxonMobil purchased the 120,000 gross acres of the Smackover formation in Arkansas earlier this year – an area considered to be one of the most largest lithium resources in North America.

By beginning to drill in precious lithium-rich brine reservoirs about 10,000 feet underground, ExxonMobil fancies itself as a leader in EV material supplies, or at least intends to become one by 2030. Per ExxonMobil’s president of low carbon solutions, Dan Ammann:

Lithium is essential to the energy transition, and ExxonMobil has a leading role to play in paving the way for electrification. This landmark project applies decades of ExxonMobil expertise to unlock vast supplies of North American lithium with far fewer environmental impacts than traditional mining operations.

This project is a win-win-win. It’s a perfect example of how ExxonMobil can enhance North American energy security, expand supplies of a critical industrial material, and enable the continued reduction of emissions associated with transportation, which is essential to meeting society’s net-zero goals.

As you can see from ExxonMobil’s graphic above, the company intends to use direct lithium extraction (DLE) technology to separate lithium from the saltwater using conventional oil and gas drilling methods rather than mining. According to the company, this produces fewer carbon emissions and requires less land. After the lithium is separated from the brine and converted on-site into EV battery-grade material, the remaining saltwater is then injected back into the earth.

Virtually all lithium extraction is currently taking place outside of North America, but ExxonMobil is not the only company vying for a piece of the rare earth pie. We’ve covered the Snow Lake Lithium reservoir developing in Canada, as well as California’s Lithium Valley project also in the works out west. We’ve also seen OEMs like GM invest in companies like EnergyX to tap into the lithium supply in North America in order to help limit supply chains and dependencies on other nations like China.

With phase one now underway, ExxonMobil expects to begin lithium production in 2027, while it simultaneously explores other opportunities to source EV-centric materials globally. By 2030, ExxonMobil says it hopes to be producing enough lithium to supply the builds of over one million EVs per year.

Electrek’s take

This news is noteworthy from an EV supply chain standpoint, as there is no denying the growing demand for lithium as EVs become more prevalent in the US and around the globe. Tapping into dormant material supplies on our home turf limits supply chains and can help drive down vehicle costs for consumers – especially since price remains a huge hurdle for wider EV adoption.

Please forgive me if I’m reluctant to give ExxonMobil a big pat on the back, as its intentions to source lithium are crystal clear. It’s all about the Benjamins, baby. ExxonMobil has the resources and drilling expertise to obtain North American lithium, so why not capitalize?

Not for the good of EVs or for less oil sales (you know the company is going to push that agenda until the well runs dry), but for pure profit. While we don’t necessarily condone the reasoning, it is refreshing to see a company with such a well-documented source of environmental tyranny pivot to a slightly less harmful process of drilling.

Don’t get it twisted, ExxonMobil is still the enemy, but seeing companies like it and Shell start venturing into other fuel alternatives and earth materials to support EV production should tell you that even they know the days of fossil fuels are numbered, even if it is a couple decades from now.

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Here’s what TSLA analysts are saying about Tesla’s big delivery miss

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Here's what TSLA analysts are saying about Tesla's big delivery miss

Most Wall Street analysts covering Tesla’s stock (TSLA) badly misread the automaker’s delivery volumes this quarter. Some of them have started releasing notes to clients following Tesla’s production and delivery results.

Here’s what they have to say:

According to Tesla-compiled analyst consensus, the automaker was expected to report “377,592 deliveries” in the first quarter.

Tesla confirmed yesterday that it delivered only 336,000 electric vehicles during the first three months of 2025.

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  • Cantor Fitzgerald was the first analyst firm to issue a note after the release. They reaffirmed their overweight rating with a $425 price target. As we previously reported, Cantor has some major conflicts of interest with Tesla and CEO Elon Musk.
  • Truist Securities maintained its hold rating on Tesla’s stock, but it greatly lowered its price target from $373 to $280 a share. They insist that while their earnings expectations have crashed because they overestimated deliveries, investors should focus on Tesla’s self-driving effort, which they see as “much more important for the long-term value of the stock.”
  • Goldman Sachs lowered its price target from $320 to $275 a share. The firm expected 375,000 deliveries from Tesla in Q1 and therefore had to adjust its earnings expectations with almost 40,000 fewer deliveries.
  • Wedbush‘s Dan Ives, one of Tesla’s biggest cheerleaders, called the delivery results “disastrous”, but he reiterated his $550 price target on Tesla’s stock.
  • UBS has reiterated its $225 price target which it had lowered last month after adjusting its delivery expectations in Q1 to 367,000 – one of the more accurate predictions on Wall Street.
  • CFRA‘s analyst Garrett Nelson reduced his price target from $385 to $360 a share.

Electrek’s Take

I find it funny that most of them are maintaining or barely changing their expectations after they were so wrong about Tesla in Q1.

If you were so wrong in Q1, you should expect to be incorrect also for the rest of the year, and readjust accordingly.

But Cantor is invested in Tesla, and the firm is owned by Elon’s friend, who happens to now be the secretary of commerce. Truist still believes Elon’s self-driving lies, Goldman Sachs overestimated Tesla’s deliveries by the equivalent of $2 billion in revenues, and Dan Ives is Dan Ives.

Covering Tesla over the last 15 years has confirmed to me that most Wall Street analysts have no idea what they are doing – or at least not when it comes to companies like Tesla.

Do you know any who have been consistently good lately? I’d love suggestions in the comment section below.

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Fintech stocks such as Affirm, PayPal plunge on concern Trump tariffs will hurt consumer spending

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Fintech stocks such as Affirm, PayPal plunge on concern Trump tariffs will hurt consumer spending

The global market rout on Thursday, sparked by President Donald Trump’s announcement of widespread tariffs, had an outsized effect on fintech companies and credit card issuers that are closely tied to consumer spending and credit.

Affirm, which offers buy now, pay later purchasing options, plunged 19%, while stock trading app Robinhood slid 10% and payments company PayPal fell 8%. American Express and Capital One each tumbled 10%, and Discover was down more than 8%.

President Trump on Wednesday laid out the U.S. “reciprocal tariff” rates that more than 180 countries and territories, including European Union members, will face under his sweeping new trade policy. Trump said his plan will set a 10% baseline tariff across the board, but that number is much higher for some countries.

The announcement sent stocks reeling, wiping out nearly $2 trillion in value from the S&P 500, and pushing the tech-heavy Nasdaq down 6%, its worst day since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.

The sell-off was especially notable for companies most exposed to consumer spending and global supply chains, including payment providers and lenders. Fintech companies that rely on transaction volume or installment-based lending could see both revenue and credit performance deteriorate.

“When you go down the spectrum, that’s when you have more cyclical risk, more exposure to tariffs,” said Sanjay Sakhrani, an analyst at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, citing PayPal and Affirm as businesses at risk. He said bigger companies in the space “are more defensive” and better positioned.

Visa, Mastercard and Fiserv held up better on Thursday.

Dan Dolev, an analyst at Mizuho, said bank processors such as Fiserv are less exposed to tariff volatility.

“It’s considered a safe haven,” he said.

Affirm executives have previously said rising prices might increase demand for their products. Chief Financial Officer Rob O’Hare said higher prices could push more consumers toward buy now, pay later services.

“If tariffs result in higher prices for consumers, we’re there to help,” O’Hare said at a Stocktwits fireside chat last month. Affirm CEO Max Levchin has offered similar comments.

However, James Friedman, an analyst at SIG, told CNBC that delinquencies become a concern. He compared Affirm to private-label store cards, and pointed to historical trends in credit performance during downturns, noting that “private label delinquency rates run roughly double” in a recession when compared to traditional credit cards.

“You have to look at who’s overexposed to discretionary,” he said.

Affirm did not provide a comment but pointed to recent remarks from its executives.

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Mazda’s $20,000 Chinese EV is about to launch overseas and a new SUV is up next

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Mazda's ,000 Chinese EV is about to launch overseas and a new SUV is up next

Wait, Mazda sells a real EV? It’s only in China for now, but that will change very soon. The first Mazda 6e built for overseas markets rolled off the assembly line Thursday. Mazda’s new EV will arrive in Europe, Southeast Asia, and other overseas markets later this year. This could be the start of something with a new SUV due out next.

Mazda’s new EV rolls off assembly for overseas markets

The Mazda EZ-6 has been on sale in China since October with prices starting as low as 139,800 yuan, or slightly under $20,000.

Earlier this year, Mazda introduced the 6e, the global version of its electric car sold in China. The stylish electric sedan is made by Changan Mazda, Mazda’s joint venture in China.

After the first Mazda 6e model rolled off the production line at the company’s Nanjing Plant, Mazda said it’s ready to “conquer the new era of electrification with China Smart Manufacturing.”

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The new global “6e” model will be built at Changan Mazda’s plant and exported to overseas markets including Europe, Thailand, and other parts of Southeast Asia.

Mazda calls it “both a Chinese car and a global car,” with Changan’s advanced EV tech and Mazda’s signature design.

Mazda-first-EV-overseas
Mazda 6e electric sedan during European debut (Source: Changan Mazda)

Built on Changan’s hybrid platform, the EZ-6 is offered in China with both electric (EV) and extended-range (EREV) powertrains. The EV version has a CLTC driving range of up to 600 km (372 miles) and can fast charge (30% to 80%) in about 15 minutes.

Mazda’s new EV will be available with two battery options in Europe: 68.8 kWh or 80 kWh. The larger (80 kWh) battery gets up to 552 km (343 miles) WLTP range, while the 68.8 kWh version is rated with up to 479 km (300 miles) range on the WLTP rating scale.

At 4,921 mm long, 1,890 mm wide, and 1,491 mm tall, the Mazda 6e is about the size of a Tesla Model 3 (4,720 mm long, 1,922 mm wide, and 1,441 mm tall).

Mazda said the successful rollout of the 6e kicks off “the official launch of Changan Mazda’s new energy vehicle export center” for global markets.

The company will launch a new SUV next year and plans to introduce a third and fourth new energy vehicle (NEV).

Although prices will be announced closer to launch, Mazda’s global EV will not arrive with the same $20,000 price tag in Europe as it will face tariffs as an export from China. Mazda is expected to launch the 6e later this year in Europe and Southeast Asia. Check back soon for more info.

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