> Do you have any citations explaining this in more detail, perhaps with some argument supporting intent or collaboration? I ask because it directly conflicts w

> Do you have any citations explaining this in more detail, perhaps with some argument supporting intent or collaboration? I ask because it directly conflicts with everything I've seen about the economics arising from the fundamental physics of chemical engineering. To whit: I do not, but I mingled a lot with EV engineers from BYD, with some of whom I used to spend Fridays. > the cost of using a tanker full of benzene is 5% the benzene itself and 95% safety measures, regulatory compliance, purpose-built equipment, and specially-trained employees. The cost of benzene is 50% and more tax in most Western countries. > The chemical engineering department at my university was full of extremely bright people working on incredibly complex machinery Indeed it is, but there are far more harder to synthesize, and work with chemicals sold at single digit margins, largely thanks to Chinese factories steamrolling chem monopolies for the last 2 decades. And battery materials are by far not that tricky to make.