North Carolina – In a partnership that could make even Elon Musk raise an eyebrow, Epsilon Advanced Materials Inc. (“EAM”), a global leader in sustainable battery materials, has inked an Agreement in Principle on Key Terms with Phillips 66. The deal secures a steady supply of Green and Calcined Needle Coke from Phillips 66’s Lake Charles, Louisiana refinery—aka the “secret sauce” for synthetic graphite anodes in electric vehicle (EV) and energy storage system (ESS) batteries.
Needle Coke may not sound glamorous, but without it, your EV would have the lifespan of a disposable camera. This agreement ensures that EAM’s upcoming North Carolina facility—slated to pump out 30,000 tons of graphite active anode material by 2027—has all the ingredients it needs to keep America’s EV dreams humming. And by 2030, that number is expected to double, which means the facility alone could juice up batteries for nearly 1 million EVs annually.
“Phillips 66 brings the energy, we bring the anodes, and together we power the future,” quipped Vikram Handa, Managing Director of EAM. “This collaboration is a major step toward building a secure and sustainable battery materials supply chain for the U.S. and beyond.”
Phillips 66, known for turning hydrocarbons into high-value specialty cokes, now finds itself part of the clean-energy love story. From oil rigs to EV rigs, the company is proving that old dogs really can learn new (electric) tricks.
Why This Matters
- EV Ecosystem Boost: The deal ensures reliable access to critical raw materials needed for domestic EV battery production.
- Sustainability Play: Fewer ships hauling materials across oceans means a lower carbon footprint.
- Job Creation: The North Carolina plant will create jobs and help anchor the state as a hub for America’s energy transition.
The EAM–Phillips 66 collaboration doesn’t just strengthen the supply chain; it also shows that the road from fossil fuels to EVs might just pass through Louisiana and North Carolina. And if all goes to plan, by the time you’re buying your next EV in 2030, there’s a good chance its battery anode will have been “Made in America—powered by Needle Coke.”
