Norway’s Vianode has signed a multi-billion-dollar deal to supply anode graphite solutions to US automaker GM. The agreement covers development of large-scale manufacturing capacity and supply of synthetic anode graphite.
The high-performance anode graphite will be shipped from an Inflation Reduction Act-compliant large-scale plant Vianode is planning in North America, with production starting in 2027. The agreement includes a minimum off-take commitment.
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Under the supply agreement, the material will be used by GM’s Ultium Cells battery cell manufacturing joint venture (JV) with South Korea’s LG Energy Solution (LGES). But, with GM diversifying its approach to batteries beyond its LGES collaboration, deliveries may be extended to include other joint ventures.
“Vianode's advanced battery materials enable cost-efficient batteries and EVs with better performances and a fraction of the carbon emissions of conventional technologies,” says Burkhard Straube, Vianode CEO. “Our recent creation of Vianode North America and this agreement to supply GM's North American EV business, are key building blocks for a local, resilient supply chain for critical battery materials outside of Asia.”
“This agreement with Vianode for the development of artificial graphite is another great example of GM’s strategic effort to build a sustainable battery supply chain in North America,” says Jeff Morrison, GM’s senior vice-president of global purchasing and supply chain. There is bipartisan political will in the US to build out a battery material supply chain centred on solutions that are domestic or involve sympathetic nations, with an ambition to cut out China despite that country’s current dominance of global battery material processing.
Lower carbon footprint
Anode graphite is the largest component of a lithium-ion battery by weight. Vianode boasts its synthetic anode graphite production — manufactured in a high-temperature production process, rather than mined liked natural graphite — has a 90pc lower CO2 footprint than conventional production methods.
“Vianode empowers battery and EV manufacturers to reduce their carbon footprint. We introduced a new industry standard with a verified climate impact of 1.9kg CO2e/kg of graphite, and target to nearly halve this by 2030,” says Stefan Bergold, Vianode CCO.
Vianode aims to supply advanced materials to 3mn EVs per year by 2030 as it develops large-scale sustainable anode graphite production in North America and Europe. It has produced anode graphite solutions at its industrial pilot in Kristiansand, Norway since 2021. It opened a technology centre in the same city in 2022, while the first full-scale production plant at Heroya, Norway started production in the second half of 2024.
But the Heroya plant at full capacity will only be able to produce c,2,000t/yr of material, enough for 30,000 EVs. So its 3mn target means 100 times greater production capacity than it currently boasts.
Vianode is owned by Norwegian aluminium firm Hydro and private equity firm Altor.
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