- China’s sweeping export controls restricting access to battery materials and advanced manufacturing technologies create a critical vulnerability for the battery industry and supply chains in the UK, Europe, and North America
- The restrictions directly target cathode active materials including Lithium Iron Phosphate, which is taking an increasing share of the global electric vehicle battery market, as well as applications in stationary energy storage, marine, aerospace, and defence
- A coordinated UK industrial strategy, supported by government policy and investment, can establish a battery industry independent of China but urgent action must be taken now
- Failure to do so represents a direct threat not only to the transition to e-mobility and clean energy but also national security, economic resilience, and defence capability
- Integrals Power’s pioneering development and production of Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) and high-performance Lithium Manganese Iron Phosphate (LMFP) material at its UK Pilot Plant demonstrates that independence from China is achievable
Milton Keynes : UK Battery technology company Integrals Power is calling for the urgent formation of a UK battery industry independent of Chinese technology, suppliers, and materials.
The recent announcement by China’s Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs to introduce export controls on the cathode active materials, anode materials, and specialised manufacturing equipment and technology could severely disrupt production of batteries, electric vehicles (EVs), and stationary energy storage systems. It could also restrict the development of electrification of the marine and aerospace industries, and impact the defence sector, in which electric power is playing an increasingly important role in new aircraft and ground vehicle programmes.
Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries were used in almost half of the EVs made in 2024, and of those, almost all were made in China.1 The effective monopoly that China has with LFP today is a clear illustration of why localised production is needed, together with commercialisation of its higher performing derivative Lithium Manganese Iron Phosphate (LMFP), which offers higher energy density faster charge and discharge rates, and greater cycle life.
The export restrictions and subsequent disruption to manufacturing could severely impact the planned bans on new internal combustion engine vehicles in the UK and Europe from 2030 and 2035 respectively. It could also drive up costs in an industry already facing severe pressure from EVs imported from China, and where market share of EVs is not increasing as quickly as expected, with purchase price often cited as one of the main reasons for consumers not making the switch.
Integrals Power Founder and CEO, Behnam Hormozi, said: “China’s export controls are a wake-up call for the global battery sector. The UK, Europe, and North America cannot afford to remain dependent on China for the materials that power EVs, enable grid energy storage, and future defence programmes. We have proven expertise in developing and manufacturing LFP and breakthrough LMFP cathode active materials in our UK pilot plant that deliver a new benchmark in energy density and durability: now we need to rapidly scale-up to mass production.
“Urgent government action is required to accelerate the growth of the UK battery industry – at all levels of the supply chain and the gigafactories – to establish a resilient, sustainable, and secure production capacity that is independent of China. This is of vital strategic importance, and the time to act is now.”
The UK possesses the scientific expertise and the industrial capability to become Europe’s primary source of advanced cathode active materials. Integrals Power has developed a wide range of more than 25 cathode active materials, including LFP and LMFP. All were developed and manufactured at the company’s UK facility, which includes a pilot plant capable of producing 20 tonnes a year from high-purity raw materials sourced from Europe and North America rather than poorer quality bulk precursors imported from China.
The UK’s battery manufacturing capacity is already lagging behind, and each new Gigafactory takes at least five years from the start of planning and construction to reaching series production volumes.2 Immediate action must be taken to ensure that building up a domestic battery industry to meet the needs of the future is achieved.
