Surging news exclusively learned from sources that BYD has found six lithium mines in Africa and has reached an intention to acquire them. The source told the surging news that according to the internal calculation of BYD, among the six lithium mines, the amount of ore with a lithium oxide grade of 2.5% has reached more than 25million tons, which can be converted into 1million tons of lithium carbonate. At the same time, he also disclosed that "in terms of cost, the loading price per ton of lithium carbonate must be less than 200000 yuan."
The production capacity will cover more than 20million pure electric vehicles
According to Soochow Securities Research Report, the average usage of lithium carbonate per GWH (1million KWH) of lithium iron phosphate batteries and ternary lithium batteries is about 600 tons. Based on the battery capacity of 60 degrees generally used in the current mainstream pure electric vehicles, the lithium carbonate required for a pure electric vehicle is about 36kg.
In other words, if the 25million tons of ore are fully mined, it can meet the power battery demand of 27.78 million 60 degree pure trams. If the hybrid vehicles with battery capacity of more than ten degrees are included, the capacity of 25million tons of ore will at least double.
BYD's sales target in 2022 is 1.5 million vehicles. Based on this calculation, the lithium ore won means that BYD will no longer have to make bricks without straw in the next ten years.
From the perspective of industry, China Automobile Association predicts that the sales volume of new energy vehicles in China will be 5million in 2022. According to rough estimation, these lithium ores can also cover the capacity demand for at least several years.
It is worth noting that according to the above sources, several of the six lithium mines will be shipped next month. It is expected that these lithium will be carried into BYD blade batteries in the third quarter of this year.
In fact, as early as 2010, BYD participated in Zabuye Salt Lake, the largest salt lake lithium mine in China. For a long time, BYD has been accelerating the layout of upstream lithium resources. On March 22, Shengxin lithium energy announced that it planned to introduce BYD as a strategic investor. At present, the fixed increase project has been accepted by the CSRC; On May 17, Salt Lake Co., Ltd. said that the 30000 ton battery grade lithium carbonate project of Salt Lake BYD was conducting a pilot test of lithium extraction technology. After the pilot test results were verified, both parties would negotiate to start the project.
However, from the available public information, it is the first time that BYD has so lavishly planned to include 1million tons of lithium carbonate.
Lavish spending is expected to cool the price of lithium
An insider told the surging news that the sharp rise in lithium prices in the past year is far beyond the logic of supply and demand. There are a lot of speculation and speculation behind this. At this node, car companies are not only considering their own strategic layout, but also conveying a rational voice to the upstream on behalf of the industry.
By the end of 2020, the price of lithium carbonate was about 50000 yuan / ton. With the sharp increase in the sales of new energy vehicles in 2021, lithium carbonate once exceeded 500000 yuan / ton in March this year. Reflected in the cost of vehicle power battery is an increase of 10000 or 20000 yuan.
Li Bin, chairman of Weilai automobile, previously said in the earnings conference call that the price rise of lithium carbonate was more speculative; Zeng Yuqun, chairman of Ningde times, said bluntly at the investor conference call that the sharp rise in lithium prices was "a bit like speculation".
It can be said that both car companies and battery companies have been suffering from lithium price for a long time.
What cannot be ignored is that the huge cost pressure of enterprises is finally transmitted to the consumer. Since 2022, China's new energy vehicle market has experienced three obvious price rises. However, in the price rise announcement, vehicle enterprises without exception have expressed their helplessness that they can not bear the rise of raw materials. Many experts worry that the frequent rise in prices will hurt the new energy vehicle market just entering the outbreak period, and eventually lithium miners will not be spared.
With the global sales of new energy vehicles hitting new highs, lithium as a strategic resource has become increasingly prominent. It is understood that more and more automobile enterprises have begun to control lithium resources, including acquiring lithium mines, seeking strategic partners, locking supply through signing long-term agreements, and laying out lithium battery recycling systems.
"On the one hand, the amount of new exploration and recoverable reserves will certainly continue to increase. In fact, lithium resources are abundant in nature. On the other hand, the trend of power battery retirement is coming. In addition, the battery recovery technology has been relatively mature. Soon, the stock of lithium will meet a large part of the demand. The supply of lithium ore is incremental." According to the analysis of the above industry insiders, "the dependence on lithium will be greatly reduced in the future. The situation of 'sky high lithium' is even more unlikely to exist for a long time. The tide will soon recede. It will be a chicken feather waiting for these hoarders."