Reuters
Japan’s automakers look at battery procurement after China graphite move
TOKYO (Reuters) -Japanese automakers are taking a hard look at their electric vehicle battery procurement strategies, with some aiming to limit risks where possible, executives said on Wednesday, following China’s planned move to curb exports of graphite. China, the world’s largest producer and exporter of the key material used in electric vehicle (EV) batteries, will require export permits as of Dec. 1 for some graphite products, a regulation that could create a fresh headache for automakers. While the extent of the potential impact is still not clear, some auto executives said on the sidelines of the Japan Mobility Show they were looking carefully at the situation and hashing out some next steps.