Nano One® Materials Corp. and Our Next Energy have signed a joint development agreement (JDA) to collaborate on the validation, qualification and production of a North American supply of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathode active materials (CAM). The CAM will be produced at Nano One's Candiac, Québec, pilot and future commercial facilities for potential use in ONE's production LFP cells used in Aries and Gemini batteries.

Nano One's Candiac facility is currently the only LFP CAM production plant in North America and its production milestones are aligned with ONE's battery production growth projections. Working together, ONE and Nano One aim to qualify and validate the LFP CAM from its previously announced 200tpa pilot, potentially leading to a binding offtake agreement from the future commercial production facility. Nano One is repurposing the Candiac plant to use its patented One-Pot process for the pilot production of LFP CAM, with re-commissioning scheduled for Third Quarter 2023.

This move gives Nano One a multi-year head start and a significant competitive advantage in the race to differentiate and commercialize a clean, green and secure North American LFP supply chain. ONE began production of its Aries LFP battery pack earlier this year. The company is also building, ONE Circle, its first battery cell factory.

ONE Circle is a 20 GWh battery cell factory that will be located in Van Buren Township, MI and begin operation in 2024. Both ONE and Nano One are confident the companies can work together to meet or exceed stringent industrial validation standards. There is solid alignment and support from Governments in the United States and Canada, and each company brings valuable strategic partners and shareholders that include Auto OEMs, multinational critical mineral suppliers, and leading chemical companies.