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In an article for Axios touting batteries for electric vehicles as the new oil, Urbix, Inc. is referenced and CEO and Chairman Nico Cuevas is quoted on the importance of strengthening graphite supply chains.

“At the very moment the United States is ramping up electric vehicle development manufacturers are running up against the weakest link in the supply chain — a shortage of battery materials,” writes Joann Muller for Axios. From the article:

Why it matters: The bottleneck puts the United States at a major disadvantage to China, which controls most of the world’s battery minerals mining and processing.

Without further action, the U.S. risks becoming as dependent on imported batteries as it was on foreign oil — or repeating mistakes of the past with solar panels or smartphones which are now made primarily overseas.

“We are the leading innovators in the world. But the challenge that we face is keeping the production of those future innovations here in the United States,” said Doug Campbell, CEO of battery maker Solid Power, at an industry roundtable hosted by Energy Sec. Jennifer Granholm.

You can see the full piece, including mentions of Urbix and Cuevas’ quotes, here.