The Electric: Should Iron-Based Batteries Be a National Security Priority?

Last week, the Biden administration released its final rules attempting to cut China out of the U.S. battery supply chain and encourage American companies to build battery and electric vehicle manufacturing capacity in the U.S. It left one conspicuous opening for Chinese companies: For two years, they could continue to supply graphite to U.S. battery manufacturers and automakers, who claimed that without the exemption, none of their EVs would qualify for Inflation Reduction Act tax credits. China makes virtually all the world’s battery-grade graphite, and the automakers said the reprieve would give them time to find other sources of the material.