RJ Scaringe, who leads the U.S.-based electric-vehicle startup, estimated that 90 to 95 per cent of the necessary battery supply chain doesn’t yet exist, a challenge that makes the auto industry’s current semiconductor shortage look mild by comparison. (The Wall Street Journal)

Talking point: Scaringe sees shortages popping up in every stage of the supply chain, from mining materials like lithium and cobalt to processing them, and building cells. His prediction that the battery shortage will be an order of magnitude worse than the current chip shortfall is especially stark considering Rivian’s struggling to compete with larger automakers for limited supplies. Reporters on a tour of Rivian’s factory determined that it is “limping compared to rival facilities” as it jockeys for its share of chips. Nonetheless, the EV maker, which has an office in Vancouver, remains “really confident” it can deliver on its scaled-back production promises.