SQM and Codelco's lithium joint venture, Novandino, has outlined plans in an environmental impact assessment (EIA) filing to increase annual lithium production capacity from around 270,000 mt currently to as much as 470,000 mt. The expansion is aimed at meeting long-term demand from electric vehicles and grid-scale energy storage. According to the filing, production will first gradually rise to around 300,000 mt before transitioning over seven years to an integrated production system incorporating direct lithium extraction (DLE), with additional capacity expected to come online over several years.

[Three Departments: Adjusting Preferential Vehicle and Vessel Tax Policies for Energy-saving Vehicles and NEVs] In accordance with the relevant provisions of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Vehicle and Vessel Tax and its implementing regulations, the matters concerning the adjustment of preferential vehicle and vessel tax policies for energy-saving vehicles and NEVs are hereby announced as follows: From January 1, 2027, the policy of halving vehicle and vessel tax on energy-saving vehicles shall be abolished, and the policy of exempting vehicle and vessel tax on pure electric commercial vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (including extended-range), and fuel cell commercial vehicles shall be abolished; the above-mentioned types of vehicles newly acquired by taxpayers or already acquired before the implementation of this announcement shall be subject to vehicle and vessel tax in accordance with the Law of the People's Republic of China on Vehicle and Vessel Tax, its implementing regulations, and other relevant provisions. This announcement shall take effect from January 1, 2027.

Nearly one year after China reopened qualified black mass imports, the market has evolved differently from initial expectations. While stronger linkages have emerged between China's domestic and overseas markets, water-soluble fluorine remains a key constraint on direct imports. Meanwhile, overseas intermediate processing has gained attention as an alternative supply chain model, reflecting the industry's growing focus on cross-border resource integration and supply chain optimization.

Released on July 1, the International Energy Agency’s latest Global EV Outlook 2026 forecasts that global electric vehicle sales will hit 23 million units in 2026, accounting for nearly 30% of all new vehicle sales worldwide, compared with merely around 5% five to six years ago. EV sales in Europe are expected to rise by 20%; those in Asia-Pacific economies excluding China will surge over 50%; and Latin America’s EV deliveries are set to grow by 45%.

EcoPro Group announced on July 1 that it will participate as a major shareholder in the BNSI smelter construction project within the International Green Industrial Park (IGIP), marking the second phase of its Indonesian nickel smelter investment. The project will have a nickel capacity of 90,000 mt, enough to supply batteries for around 2 million electric vehicles.

On July 1, two mandatory national standards—"Safety Requirements for Traction Batteries of Electric Vehicles" (GB 38031-2025) and "Safety Requirements for Electric Vehicles" (GB 18384-2025)—will officially come into force. This marks the first time in China's new energy vehicle sector that both battery‑specific and vehicle‑level core safety standards take effect on the same day. The new battery standard establishes "no fire, no explosion" as a mandatory requirement, replacing the previous technical threshold of "providing an alarm signal 5 minutes before fire or explosion." The updated standard also adds tests including bottom impact testing and safety testing after fast‑charging cycles. The vehicle standard requires the installation of an independent physical one‑button emergency power‑off device. The two standards will be implemented in phases: all newly applied vehicle models submitted after July 1 must fully comply with the new rules, while models already approved and on sale are granted a one‑year transition period until full compliance is required by July 2027. Industry players across the supply chain have already entered the final stages of certification review and production‑line retrofitting.