Robstown Lithium Refinery

Tesla · Robstown, USA · Battery-grade chemicals

Battery chemical refinery operated by Tesla in Robstown, USA. Status: ramping.

Robstown Lithium Refinery: cathode plant illustration with co-precipitation reactor and rotary kiln; Battery-grade chemicals, status ramping, USA Battery-grade chemicals Ramping USA
Capacity
Not published
Chemistry
Lithium hydroxide
Start year
2025
Hub
Supply Chain

Status

Ramping: Integrated start-up in 2025, production confirmed January 2026

Product: Lithium hydroxide. Capacity: about 50 GWh of cells a year (Tesla).

First large US lithium hydroxide refinery; acid-free process; feeds the Giga Texas cathode plant; Texas facility.

Customers and offtakers: Tesla cathode lines at Giga Texas.

Plant record

Plant record

Robstown Lithium Refinery (Tesla)
CompanyTesla
PlantRobstown Lithium Refinery
CityRobstown
State or provinceTexas
CountryUSA
Stagechemical
Chemistry or productLithium hydroxide
Capacity basisAbout 50 GWh of cells a year (Tesla)
Statusramping
Status noteIntegrated start-up in 2025, production confirmed January 2026; ramping
Scalecommercial
Start year2025
Customers and offtakersTesla cathode lines at Giga Texas
FeedstockSpodumene concentrate
Metal inputsLi
Geopolitical exposureLOW
Record updated2026-10

Official site: tesla.com

In context

Where it fits

Listed in Cathode Active Materials; owner profile: Tesla; Texas facility page on AustinIO: Tesla Robstown lithium refinery. Cathode plants are compared on stage (chemical, precursor or finished CAM), chemistry, capacity and qualified customers; a plant qualified for one chemistry and one cell maker is not interchangeable supply.

Other plants of Tesla and other plants in USA
PlantCountryStatus
North Andover Plasma CAM Line (6K Energy)USAoperational
Battle Creek CAM Plant (BASF TODA America) (BASF)USAoperational
Elyria Battery Materials Plant (BASF)USAoperational
Direct Lithium Extraction pilot (International Battery Metals)USAoperational
Mountain View LFP/LMFP Line (Mitra Chem)USAoperational
Bessemer City Lithium Hydroxide Plant (Rio Tinto (Arcadium Lithium, formerly Livent))USAoperational
Clarksville Cathode Plant (LG Chem)USAunder construction
Thacker Pass (Lithium Americas)USAunder construction
Kings Mountain Lithium (Albemarle)USAannounced
Hell's Kitchen (Controlled Thermal Resources)USAannounced

Sources

Sources and scope

Scope
Robstown Lithium Refinery (Tesla)
Sources
ElectronsX cathode dataset; company disclosures and filings
Updated
2026-10