The car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz and the Canadian government want to work more closely together. Both parties have signed a letter of intent to deepen cooperation along the entire automotive value chain, Mercedes-Benz announced on Tuesday. The aim is to promote collaboration and economic opportunities within Canada’s electric vehicle supply chain. This includes, among other things, access to primary raw material sources.

With the ramp-up of electric mobility, the demand for specific raw materials will increase, especially for cobalt and lithium, according to Mercedes-Benz. The dialogue should also expand cooperation with strategic partners on site. As part of a planned partnership with Rock Tech Lithium, Mercedes-Benz and its battery partners are to be supplied with up to 10,000 tons of lithium hydroxide per year. The intended cooperation should start in 2026 with a qualification phase.

“Mercedes-Benz is in the process of drastically increasing the production of electric vehicles,” said board member Markus Schäfer. With Canada, Mercedes has an important and powerful partner at its side to usher in a new era of sustainable transformation.