U.S.-based startup Pure Lithium Corp. is racing to develop a fully domestic battery manufacturing facility in an effort to avoid looming tariffs and reduce reliance on Chinese imports.
The Boston-headquartered company is building a prototype pilot plant to produce a next-generation lithium metal battery—a technology that CEO Emilie Bodoin believes could eventually replace conventional lithium-ion batteries.
“This battery is a game changer,” Bodoin said during an interview with Bloomberg Television on Tuesday. “We’re working tirelessly to launch a pilot facility, expand our lithium production process, and begin getting these batteries into the hands of U.S. customers who need them.”
The new battery, still in the testing phase, has been in development for over four years and could power electric vehicles, grid-scale energy storage systems, and more. Unlike traditional lithium-ion batteries, Pure Lithium’s design does not use graphite, nickel, cobalt, or manganese—all materials heavily sourced from China.
This clean-sheet approach allows the company to completely sidestep China-dependent supply chains, an advantage that becomes even more relevant as the U.S. government—under former President Donald Trump and potentially again—pushes for higher tariffs on Chinese battery components.
In a show of confidence, the U.S. Export-Import Bank issued a letter of interest in April for potential financing of up to $300 million to support Pure Lithium’s ambitious plans.
With energy security and supply chain resilience becoming national priorities, Pure Lithium is positioning itself at the intersection of innovation and geopolitics—aiming to build a battery that is not only high-performance and sustainable, but 100% made in America.