EV Supply Chain > Upstream Refined Materials
Supply Chain Upstream Materials
Refined materials convert mined or harvested feedstocks into specification-controlled inputs used across electrification. This hub is intentionally cross-cutting: it points to refined material pathways that underpin batteries, motors, power electronics, charging infrastructure, grid equipment, and advanced manufacturing.
Strategic Material Classes
Battery Materials
Battery upstream materials sit between mining and downstream materials manufacturing (CAM, anode, electrolyte). This includes both element refining and battery-grade chemical compounds.
- Battery Upstream Materials
- Lithium refining
- Nickel refining
- Cobalt refining
- Manganese refining
- Graphite processing and purification
Electrical Conductors
Conductors are foundational to every electrified system: wiring, busbars, motors, transformers, inverters, chargers, and grid infrastructure.
Motor and Actuator Materials (Magnets)
High-performance traction motors and many robotics actuators depend on permanent magnets made from rare earth elements (REEs). REE processing and magnet manufacturing often form a distinct bottleneck from motor assembly itself.
Semiconductor and Power Electronics Materials
Power electronics are cross-cutting across EVs, charging, grid interfaces, solar, storage, and industrial electrification. The upstream materials layer includes wafer substrates and high-purity feedstocks that enable device fabrication and packaging.
Solar and Energy Materials
Some refined materials are surfaced elsewhere in ElectronsX (for example, PV solar supply chains) but are still cross-cutting enablers.
Why This Layer Is a Bottleneck
- Long lead times: permitting, construction, and qualification cycles are slow.
- Energy intensity: refining and chemical conversion are tightly coupled to power cost and reliability.
- Purity sensitivity: trace contaminants can materially impact battery and semiconductor performance.
- Qualification friction: OEM and Tier-1 change control increases switching cost.
- Geographic concentration: refining is often more concentrated than mining.
