#82: Our next chapter

The big stories

• Our 2027 plans for quarterly dinners and events connecting leaders across EV charging and electrification

• China, batteries and critical minerals are back at the center of U.S. EV policy

Steve

Industry News

Rob and I started writing about the business, technology, and policy of EV charging infrastructure in January 2023. At the time, more people were purchasing and leasing EVs, automakers were investing heavily in EV production, and federal and state governments were committing unprecedented funding to the charging infrastructure needed to support that growth.

Since then, we’ve written about the convergence around Tesla’s NACS connector, the opening of the Supercharger network to other automakers, and the launch of IONNA. We’ve written about major funding rounds, supplier exits, consolidation, and Tesla’s Supercharger layoffs. We’ve also followed the politically uncertain rollout of NEVI and the rollback of federal incentives, even as charging deployment continued to grow in a difficult EV market.

Through it all, our focus has remained on understanding how business decisions, advances in technology, and policy shifts shape charging infrastructure.

Writing this newsletter has allowed us to build and deepen relationships with operators, executives, founders, investors, and policymakers shaping the future of charging infrastructure and electrification.

Two years ago, Rob and I began hosting small, invitation-only, off-the-record dinners with industry leaders. These gatherings created space for candid conversations and debate about issues that are often too nuanced or controversial to discuss openly online or on a conference stage.

We hosted our most recent dinner this past Tuesday in NYC during Climate Week. The conversations that evening reinforced our belief that some of our most valuable work comes from bringing together the right mix of business leaders, investors, founders, and policymakers to challenge assumptions, share ideas, and learn from one another in an effort to move this industry forward. 

These dinners give leaders facing shared challenges a rare opportunity to connect in person, speak openly, and build trust. They create an environment that can lead to partnerships, investment opportunities, and progress for the industry.

This the next chapter of EVPowerInsights.

Starting in 2027, Rob and I will host curated events and dinners each quarter in cities around the United States, connecting leaders across EV charging and electrification. Each gathering will focus on an important industry topic, with a guest list chosen to bring relevant experience, different perspectives, and the ability to act on the ideas discussed.

Rob and I will continue sharing our thoughts and perspectives here. Alongside this newsletter, we’re making a deliberate commitment to connecting the people who can turn ideas into action.

Power and Policy

China, Batteries and Critical Minerals Are Back at the Center of U.S. EV Policy

This week’s U.S.-China talks offered another reminder that, even as Washington tries to decouple the American EV supply chain from China, doing so remains easier said than done.

Rare earths and critical minerals were a major focus of talks between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, following negotiations between Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng. The two countries ultimately agreed to extend their trade truce by two months, buying additional time for negotiations. 

The reason critical minerals remain so prominent is straightforward: China continues to occupy an extraordinarily powerful position in the global supply chain. Despite significant U.S. investment in domestic mining and processing, industry analysts expect the United States to remain dependent on Chinese rare-earth supplies well into the next decade. 

For the EV industry, that exposes a fundamental tension in Washington’s industrial policy. Policymakers increasingly want batteries, critical minerals and other strategic components sourced outside China for both economic and national-security reasons. But Chinese companies continue to possess some of the world’s most advanced—and often lowest-cost—battery technology.

CATL provided a particularly striking example this week. The Chinese battery giant has developed a new battery configuration specifically designed for the large pickup trucks that dominate the U.S. vehicle market. According to the Financial Times, the technology has already been tested by U.S. automakers and could potentially reach the American market through technology-licensing arrangements rather than direct Chinese manufacturing. 

That is the dilemma Washington has yet to fully resolve: How does the United States build an EV and battery industry that is independent of China without cutting American manufacturers off from some of the cheapest and most advanced technology in the world?

The question extends beyond passenger vehicles. CATL also unveiled its next-generation commercial-vehicle battery platform this month, targeting heavy-duty trucks and megawatt-level charging—precisely the part of the EV market receiving increasing attention from U.S. policymakers and infrastructure programs.

Rob’s take

For charging companies, the takeaway is that battery and trade policy increasingly matter almost as much as charging policy itself. Battery costs, vehicle architectures, critical-mineral restrictions and rules governing Chinese technology will influence which electric vehicles reach the U.S. market, how quickly commercial fleets electrify and ultimately how much charging infrastructure gets built.

Washington may want an EV supply chain that is less dependent on China. The events of this week showed just how difficult—and potentially expensive—that transition could be.

Featured Headlines

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⚡️Steve and Rob

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