Hardware Podcasts

The Big Switch: Are Batteries the New Oil?

Catalyst · 11 Apr 2024 · 46m

What this episode covers

Dr. Melissa Lott hosts the season premiere of The Big Switch, featuring guests Alessandra Carrion, Professor Dan Steingart, and Tom Morinhaut, to examine the global supply chains for lithium-ion batteries. The episode dissects an 18650 cell from the original Tesla Roadster to explain the materials and manufacturing process, while analyzing how China’s dominance in refining and processing creates geopolitical leverage. The discussion contrasts the scale and security risks of critical minerals against oil, highlighting the economic and policy implications of the Inflation Reduction Act and global trade restrictions.

Most relevant to

large enterprises

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Tesla, Ford, General Motors, Columbia University, Lawrence Berkeley Lab
Products
18650
Also
Inflation Reduction Act, Dodd Frank Act

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