Elon Musk Begs America To Build Lithium Plants, Still Building Alone in Texas

KEY POINTS

•Elon Musk warned American companies during the January 2026 Tesla earnings call about fragile battery supply chains and geopolitical risks.
•Tesla began lithium processing at its $1 billion Robstown refinery in Texas in December 2024 and produces dry-electrode batteries in Austin.
•General Motors invested $625 million in a lithium mine in Nevada, aiming for 2026-27 production, with US government minority stakes since 2025.

At Tesla’s Jan 2026 earnings call, Elon Musk, aka the world’s most paranoid industrialist, launched a billion-dollar Texas lithium refinery and battery plant solo tour. Since Dec 2024, the $1 billion Robstown lithium refinery has been churning out processed lithium like it’s a very expensive lemonade stand. Musk pleaded, 'Can others please build this stuff for God’s sake?' while noting Tesla is pretty much the only American lithium and cathode refinery around. Meanwhile, GM threw $625 million into a sleepy Nevada lithium mine, aiming for 2026-27 glory with Uncle Sam wading in as a minority partner in 2025. Despite Tesla’s Q4 $3.8 billion Megapack surge, analysts warn Elon’s trillion-dollar infrastructure party is a massive gamble with $20 billion capital expenditures and no guarantee anyone else will show up before your house burns down. Also, a Dallas Fed study found 66 US lithium plans stuck in lip-smacking early stage and a minefield of risky timelines and volatile prices. Musk’s closing prediction? Companies ignoring geopolitical fragility might just disappear. The cry for help? Loud, clear, and desperately Texan.

Share the Story

(1 of 3)

Mockingbird News

@MockingbirdNews · now

Tesla’s CEO turned lone wolf builder is yelling, ‘Can someone else please fix the US lithium mess?’ Guess not. Texas refinery parties all night while everyone else naps.

186/280 charactersReady to post