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Stellantis invests more than $100 million in California lithium project

Stellantis said it would invest more than $100 million in California's Controlled Thermal Resources, its latest bet on the direct lithium extraction (DLE) sector amid the global hunt for new sources of the electric vehicle battery metal. The investment by the Chrysler and Jeep parent announced on Thursday comes as the green energy transition and U.S. Inflation Reduction Act have fueled concerns that supplies of lithium and other materials may fall short of strong demand forecasts. DLE technologies vary, but each aims to mechanically filter lithium from salty brine deposits and thus avoid the need for open pit mines or large evaporation ponds, the two most common but environmentally challenging ways to extract the battery metal. Stellantis, which has said half of its fleet will be electric by 2030, also agreed to nearly triple the amount of lithium it will buy from Controlled Thermal, boosting a previous order to 65,000 metric tons annually for at least 10 years, starting in 2027. "This is a significant investment and goes a long way toward developing this key project," Controlled Thermal CEO Rod Colwell said in an interview. The company plans to spend more than $1 billion to separate lithium from superhot geothermal brines extracted from beneath California's Salton Sea after flashing steam off those brines to spin turbines that will produce electricity starting next year. That renewable power is expected to cut the amount of carbon emitted during lithium production. Rival Berkshire Hathaway has struggled to produce lithium from the same area given large concentrations of silica in the brine that can form glass when cooled, clogging pipes. Colwell said a $65 million facility recently installed by Controlled Thermal can remove that silica and other unwanted metals. DLE equipment licensed from Koch Industries would then remove the lithium. "We're very happy with the equipment," he said. "We're going to deliver. There's just no doubt about it." Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares called the Controlled Thermal partnership "an important step in our care for our customers and our planet as we work to provide clean, safe and affordable mobility." Both companies declined to provide the specific investment amount. Controlled Thermal aims to obtain final permits by October and start construction of a commercial lithium plant soon thereafter, Colwell said. Goldman Sachs is leading the search for additional debt and equity financing, he added.

2021 Ram 1500 TRX | How we'd build our Hellcat-powered pickup

That didn’t take long. The 2021 Ram 1500 TRX was only revealed yesterday, but the configurator is already up and running. HereÂ’s the link. We surveyed the room to see how all of us would spec out their supercharged pickup. For a truck that starts above $70,000, there are a surprising number of option boxes available to check. If money doesnÂ’t matter, you can spec out a TRX thatÂ’s over $90,000. Even reasonably-equipped trucks will crest $80,000 quickly. There isn't unanimous agreement about whether we like the truck or not either. Spoiler alert: Green Editor John Snyder isnÂ’t a fan. Fuel economy in Challenger and Charger Hellcats can easily dip into the single digits when driven aggressively, and we can guarantee that the truck will only be worse. Others adore its silliness and FCAÂ’s current strategy of shoving its supercharged V8 into any vehicle that will accommodate one. We could go for a Pacificat next. The Previa canÂ’t have all the supercharged minivan fun. Read on to see our builds, and let us know how youÂ’d spec a TRX out in the comments below. Road Test Editor Zac Palmer: ThereÂ’s no making this truck cheap. The TRX is extremely expensive, and anybody buying one will just have to accept it. ThatÂ’s why IÂ’ve decided to go nearly all out with my build. After all, if youÂ’re paying luxury car money for a vehicle, you might as well enjoy a luxury experience. My TRX costs $88,665. It has $16,975 worth of options on it, which isnÂ’t entirely out of the ordinary for trucks these days. On the outside, I chose the bright Hydro-Blue Pearl paint. For only $100, I couldnÂ’t say no to a color. The TRX would look menacing in black or gray, but I think a bright color is much more fitting for an off-road play truck. I also went with the all-black non-beadlock wheels, because I prefer the look and probably donÂ’t need the capability. Rock rails and the bed-mounted tire carrier were also on my list. ItÂ’s not like I want to carry a tire around in my bed, but it sure does look the part. Again, this is a silly truck. Optioning it with silly add-ons is what it deserves. The interior options are boring, but I was able to spruce it up a smidge with TRX red interior accents. My biggest purchase was the TR2 trim package, though. You get Â… well, pretty much everything for $7,920.

Autoblog's ultimate holiday rides

Over the hills and through the woods, it's the time of year when many of us visit family and friends for the holidays. But getting there can be a chore. It's cold and snowy across much of the United States, and even if the climate is favorable, the drive to grandmother's house often is not. Think back to holiday road trips of yore: They probably included crying babies, antsy children, hungover adults and frequent bathrooms stops all around. Now, we're all at different life stages here at Autoblog, and the perfect car for one staffer might be as useful as a team of Budweiser Clydesdales to another. Some of us bounce from family event to family event with children and a labrador in tow, while others prefer a quieter, simpler holiday. But whatever the endeavor, we all need wheels. With that in mind, here is the unofficial Autoblog list of the ultimate cars in which to tackle the holiday season. 2015 Ferrari FF To borrow a chestnut from Top Gear presenter James May, "As you'd expect, I've done this properly." That oddly voluptuous ruby bolide in the photo above? It's a 2015 Ferrari FF – all 652 all-wheel-driven horsepower of it. What makes a Ferrari the ideal for holiday time in PaukertLand? My Midwestern winter breaks are wonderful, but they're typically frenetic and slushy, involving a lot of schlepping from house to house and even city to city, not to mention inevitable last-minute runs for forgotten presents and dinner ingredients. Needless to say, a powerful V12 is a welcome ally for such duties. And this one isn't just a friend when the road is clear. The FF has been gifted Ferrari's novel 4RM AWD system, and despite sitting lower to the ground than, say, an SUV, it's a pretty effective tool for real winter driving, especially when outfitted with a set of snow tires. Unlike other Ferraris, it's also a rather practical thing, with legitimate seating for four adults and 15.9 cubic feet of cargo space – that's precisely as much room as a Mercedes E-Class – and you can fold the rear chairs and cram 28.2 cubes-worth of holiday cheer in the back. Okay, so it's far from cheap and fuel economy isn't that great, but who cares? Just drop a paddle-shifted gear or two, bury the throttle and Repeat The Sounding Joy. Ain't the holidays grand? – Chris Paukert Executive Editor 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe My Mom gives out more presents than any other human being I've ever encountered.