Lithium-vanadium design could help the U.S. sidestep the need for Chinese-sourced critical battery minerals.

Boston-based startup Pure Lithium is racing to build a fully domestic plant for manufacturing lithium metal batteries that offer a homegrown alternative to traditional lithium-ion batteries that are heavily dependent on Chinese-sourced minerals.

"We're working as hard as we can to build a prototype pilot facility," CEO Emilie Bodoin said in a Bloomberg Television interview. "And, as soon as we get it up and running, we're going to start getting these batteries out into the hands of US customers that need it."

The facility will not only produce battery cells but also include upstream lithium extraction, creating a vertically integrated supply chain from brine to finished product. Target markets include electric vehicles, grid-scale energy storage systems, and consumer electronics.

The pilot facility will also serve as a testbed to scale the company's proprietary production process and fine-tune manufacturing efficiencies before full commercialization.

In the broader context of reshoring U.S. battery supply chains, Pure Lithium's strategy represents a concrete step toward building domestic capability and reducing vulnerability to international supply disruptions.

Smaller, safer, cheaper challenger

The company's core innovation is a lithium metal battery that removes the need for conventional cathode and anode materials such as graphite, nickel, cobalt, and manganese.

Instead, Pure Lithium's technology uses a lithium metal anode paired with a vanadium cathode and a unique chemistry that promises higher energy density, faster charging times, and longer lifespan than today's lithium-ion batteries.

According to Bodoin, these advantages could allow the company's product to outperform current industry standards in both electric vehicle and stationary storage applications.

If Pure Lithium can successfully scale its solution, this streamlining of materials may also reduce battery supply chains.

By eliminating the need for critical minerals that are environmentally contentious and geopolitically sensitive, the technology sidesteps both cost volatility and ethical concerns tied to global mining practices.

Domestic strategy aligned with trade policies

Pure Lithium's effort to localize the entire battery manufacturing process comes at a time when trade tensions between the U.S. and China have increased the complexity and risks of critical mineral supply chains.

Amidst ongoing hardline trade negotiations, the current administration may reintroduce tariffs on Chinese imports, particularly in critical sectors like batteries and energy storage. These trade measures aim to curtail U.S. reliance on Chinese manufacturing, which dominates global supply chains for materials like graphite and processed lithium.

Pure Lithium's domestic model not only insulates the project from the uncertainties of international trade but also aligns with broader industrial policy goals from both sides of the aisle: reviving U.S. manufacturing and securing key technologies.

In a future where national security and economic competitiveness increasingly drive energy policy, Pure Lithium's U.S.-centric strategy may help it attract both public-sector contracts and private customers looking to de-risk their supply chains. It may also position the company favorably for additional subsidies or incentives tied to Made-in-America goals.

Promising avenues of support

In April, Pure Lithium secured a letter of interest from the U.S. Export-Import Bank for financing of up to $300 million, a significant vote of confidence for a company still in the pilot phase.

"This project will be very impactful for U.S. manufacturing in the crucial sector of energy storage," Bodoin said in April. "Our disruptive Brine to Battery technology will enable the creation of the first complete U.S.-based battery supply chain, from sourcing the materials to producing the finished product."

If formalized, EXIM financing could cover costs related to equipment, facility construction, and the expansion of Pure Lithium's proprietary extraction and processing technologies.

"Domestic battery production is imperative for U.S. energy and national security," added Bodoin. "Additionally, this will boost U.S. competitiveness globally – in line with the objectives of EXIM."

This federal backing could play a crucial role in de-risking the capital-intensive process of a domestic manufacturing facility, especially in an industry where early-stage companies often struggle to raise the necessary funds.

Such a show of support could also help the company attract private investment or strategic partnerships in clean-tech manufacturing.

It would also reinforce a growing policy trend – the U.S. government actively backing domestic alternatives to foreign-controlled battery supply chains as geopolitical tensions and climate goals reshape global energy markets.