Albemarle, Tesla and Uber push electric car use in newly formed Zero Emission Transportation Association

The world’s top lithium producer Albemarle (NYSE: ALB) has joined forces with 27 companies, including electric vehicle maker Tesla and rideshare company Uber, to form a group that will push for 100% electric vehicle (EV) sales in the U.S. by 2030.

The Zero Emission Transportation Association (ZETA), launched this week, is the first industry coalition of its kind advocating for national policies to drive the full adoption of EVs throughout the light-, medium-, and heavy-duty sectors. 

The new lobbying group will focus on five key policy pillars, including consumer EV incentives and domestic manufacturing.

ZETA will also push for infrastructure improvements, such as EV charging stations and emissions standards, which should make the transition to electric cars easier.

The association said achieving 100% EVs sales in ten years would create “hundreds of thousands of new jobs, secure American global EV manufacturing leadership, dramatically improve public health and significantly reduce carbon pollution.”

Some states are already moving in that direction. California recently announced its plans to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035. New Jersey followed in October.

The new industry group doesn’t intend to push states into requiring its residents to only purchase EVs, but rather it supports policies to boost their sale.

“The next decade will be critical in implementing federal policies that accelerate the transition to zero emissions vehicles and help address these problems head-on,” executive director Joe Britton said in a statement.

Albemarle lithium president Eric Norris noted the U.S. was tracking behind other countries in driving the adoption of EVs.

“As an industry leader and major U.S. producer of lithium, Albemarle is committed to powering the potential of clean energy and is excited to join ZETA’s mission in positioning the U.S. to support a clean and sustainable environment,” Norris said.

ZETA members include Piedmont Lithium (ASX: PLL), which aims to develop a fully integrated spodumene-to-hydroxide business in North Carolina, and fellow Australian miner ioneer (ASX: INR), the owner of the Rhyolite Ridge lithium project in Nevada.

“We view a global shift to electric vehicles as central to our mission,” ioneer’s managing director, Bernard Rowe, said in a statement.

“As the most developed lithium project in the United States, not only are we excited to be working closely with fellow leaders across the automotive supply chain, we understand the importance of ensuring U.S. national policy supports a greener future.”

Other members included ABB, Siemens and Lucid Motors.

— This article first appeared in MINING.com, part of Glacier Resource Innovation Group.