BYD eyes lithium giant takeover as it expands its EV battery business
China’s leader EV maker, BYD, has held “active” discussions with lithium producer Sigma Lithium as it looks to expand its battery business.
After topping Tesla in EV sales in the final three months of 2023, BYD is not slowing down. The Chinese EV maker is now eyeing expanding its EV battery business.
BYD’s Brazil head, Alexandre Baldry, said discussions were held over a possible supply agreement, joint venture, or acquisition of Sigma Lithium, according to the Financial Times.
Sigma began shipping lithium from its Grota do Cirilo mine and processing plant in Brazil last year. The company went from commissioning the crushing unit in December 2022 to sustaining production levels last month.
BYD, which began as a battery maker, has built its brand on affordable EVs like the Dolphin and Yuan Plus, both starting under $20,000 in China.
A big part of BYD’s success is due to its past. BYD is now the largest global supplier of rechargeable batteries. The company even sells EV batteries like its BYD Blade battery to other automakers, including Tesla, Toyota, Ford, and Kia.
BYD is “more like an engineering company,” North American CEO Stella Li explained, with most components built in-house. For example, BYD makes every part of its Dolphin EV except the tires and windows.
BYD eyes Sigma Lithium supply deal
BYD’s affordable EVs are largely due to its control over its supply chain. A major lithium deal could help secure BYD’s position as the top EV maker globally.
Sigma posted a $19 million (CAD 25M) net loss in the first nine months of production. Its first year of production. Revenue reached nearly $97 million (CAD 129.9M).
With top battery producers like Panasonic cutting its profit outlook last year, Sigma Lithium (SGML) stock has slid over 35% in the past six months.
According to FT, Sigma’s board is reviewing an action plan that could involve selling the business or listing its Brazilian unit on the Nasdaq (or Singapore) stock exchange.
Brazilian media Exame reported Volkswagen and CATL are both also eyeing Sigma’s assets. According to the report, China’s CATL is offering more than VW.
According to a Bloomberg report last year, Tesla was also considering buying Sigma. It was “one of multiple mining locations” Tesla was exploring.
Sigma plans to triple its annual production capacity with 22,000 tonnes of battery-grade lithium shipped every month in 2024. That would be about 270,000 tonnes this year.
BYD continues expanding into new markets with the launch of its luxury brand, Yangwang, last year. BYD’s Yangway unveiled its new +1,000 horsepower U7 electric sedan, starting at around $140,000 (1 million RMB).
The EV leader is also preparing to ship its own EVs to Europe on its first transport ship. The BYD Explorer No. 1 is the first Chinese-made ship designed to carry domestic EVs overseas.
BYD’s ship arrived at Yantai Port last week before heading to Shenzen, where BYD will load vehicles. The next stop is Europe. BYD’s Explorer No. 1 can carry 7,000 EVs.
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The US Department of Energy (DOE) today announced $1.2 billion in financing to replace Puerto Rico’s fossil fuel plants with solar and battery storage through 2032.
The DOE’s Loan Programs Office announced two conditional commitments and one loan closing to power producers in Puerto Rico. Each supports a project contracted with the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority. The announcements include:
- The closing of a $584.5 million loan guarantee to subsidiaries of Convergent Energy to finance a 100 MW solar farm with a 55 MW (55 MWh) battery energy storage system (BESS) in the municipality of Coamo and BESS installations in the municipalities of Caguas (25MW/100MWh), Peñuelas (100MW/400MWh), and Ponce (up to 100MW/400MWh)
- A conditional commitment for a loan guarantee of up to $133.6 million to a subsidiary of Infinigen for a 32.1 MW solar farm with an integrated 14.45 MW (4.76 MWh) BESS, and a co-located standalone 50 MW (200 MWh) BESS expansion in the municipality of Yabucoa
- A conditional commitment for a loan guarantee of up to $489.4 million to a subsidiary of Pattern Energy for three stand-alone BESS in the municipalities of Arecibo (50 MW/200 MWh), and Santa Isabel (50 MW /200 MWh and 80 MW/320 MW), and a 70 MW solar farm with an integrated BESS in the municipality of Arecibo.
If all are finalized, these projects would more than double LPO’s support for utility-scale solar generation and battery energy storage in Puerto Rico.
LPO provides low-cost financing and a rigorous due diligence process, making it a valuable resource for Puerto Rico as it works to rebuild an affordable, reliable, and clean energy system. As a result of reliance on imported fuel, the persistent threat of tropical storms, and underinvested infrastructure, Puerto Ricans today face average energy costs that are twice the US average – all while consuming only one-quarter of the energy of the US per capita.
LPO’s initial loan to a power producer in Puerto Rico, Project Marahu, closed in October 2024, and when complete will add more than 200 MW of solar and up to 285 MW of stand-alone energy storage to Puerto Rico’s grid.
Through its September 2023 partial loan guarantee to Project Hestia, LPO also supports virtual power plant (VPP)-ready rooftop solar and battery storage installations in Puerto Rico. As a nationwide project, Hestia’s sponsor is committed to at least 20% of installations under Project Hestia going to homeowners in Puerto Rico.
As part of its procurement plan, Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority seeks to install 1,500 MW of battery storage and requires a minimum capacity of storage to be co-located with each utility-scale solar project. Energy storage systems currently online in Puerto Rico are being dispatched every day.
When including Marahu, LPO’s closed and conditionally committed financing supports over 100% of the capacity Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority aimed to procure under its initial request for energy storage project proposals, the first of six.
Read more: Cleantech investments to top fossil fuels for the first time in 2025
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Chevy just introduced new deals on the Equinox and Blazer EV models to make them even more affordable. With 0% interest and a new trade-in bonus, Chevy is offering over $5,000 in savings.
Chevy adds new Equinox and Blazer EV deals in January
Although the Chevy Equinox EV is already “the most affordable” EV in its class with over 315 miles range, it’s getting even cheaper.
Earlier this week, Chevy launched new deals on the 2024 Equinox and Blazer EV models. According to a note sent to dealers, viewed by CarsDirect, the electric SUVs are now available with 0% APR financing for 60 months. You can also choose from 0.9% AP for 72 months and 2.9% APR for 84 months.
This marks the best financing offer on Chevy’s newest EVs to date. The previous best rates were 0.9% APR for 60 months, 3.9% for 72 months, and 5.9% for the longer 84-month option.
On a 7-year $45,000 loan, online auto research firm CarsDirect estimates the new deals amount to around a $5,200 price cut. The lower APR rates are already offered on the Chevrolet Silverado EV pickup.
In addition, Chevy is offering a trade-in bonus of up to $3,000 on the Silverado EV and $1,000 on the electric Equinox and Blazer models. If you choose to lease, the bonus is cut in half: $1,500 for the Silverado and $500 for the electric SUVs.
Chevy’s new EV deals started on January 14 and run through March 3, 2025. The deals come as rivals like Hyundai and Ford recently launched new EV promotions.
On Thursday, Hyundai launched a new promo on the upgraded 2025 IONIQ 5, which includes monthly leases as low as $199 and a free ChargePoint home EV charger (or $400 charging credit). Meanwhile, Ford extended its “Power Promise” program earlier this month, which also includes a free home charger, among several other benefits.
The 2024 Chevy Equinox EV started at $41,900 with up to 315 miles range. Prices for the electric Chevy Blazer start at $43,690 with up to 279 miles range.
If you are ready to try out Chevy’s new electric SUVs for yourself, we’ve got you covered. You can use our links below to view offers on the Chevy Equinox, Silverado, and Blazer EV models near you.
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In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss non-Tesla EVs getting Supercharger access, Cybertruck sales in the spotlight, Rivian getting some money from Biden, and more.
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