Ford Strikes Lithium Supply Deals With World’s Top Producers (2)

Ford Motor Co. peppered investors with new battery-material sourcing agreements in a show of how it’s solidifying the supply chain it will need for a massive expansion in electric-vehicle production.

The two biggest names among the various companies that announced deals with Ford on Monday — US-based Albemarle Corp. and Chile’s SQM— are the world’s largest producers of lithium. Those pacts are among five disclosed on Ford’s investor day that flesh out how the carmaker expects to make 2 million EVs a year by 2026, and keep expanding from there.

The availability and expense of crucial battery materials — ...