Robinson Meyer

Let's talk about some specific industries. I want to go back to this question in the context of the Trump administration, but for now, let's talk about some specific challenges we're facing in decarbonization. So more than half of LPO's deals since 2021 have gone toward EV or battery companies.

Let's talk about some specific industries. I want to go back to this question in the context of the Trump administration, but for now, let's talk about some specific challenges we're facing in decarbonization. So more than half of LPO's deals since 2021 have gone toward EV or battery companies.

And just last month, you announced a conditional loan to Rivian to build their giant mega factory in Georgia. What's the state of the EV market in America broadly?

And just last month, you announced a conditional loan to Rivian to build their giant mega factory in Georgia. What's the state of the EV market in America broadly?

The EV supply chain is so different from the conventional internal combustion vehicle supply chain, and I think LPO has invested in nearly every part of it. So can you talk me through just the different parts of that supply chain? The battery section, the car, the charging network, where do we stand on each of those sections?

The EV supply chain is so different from the conventional internal combustion vehicle supply chain, and I think LPO has invested in nearly every part of it. So can you talk me through just the different parts of that supply chain? The battery section, the car, the charging network, where do we stand on each of those sections?

There was a Bloomberg report earlier this month that China has gotten its EV battery costs below $100 per kilowatt hour. And that in climate tech and in the clean energy world, we've been talking about this $100 per kilowatt hour benchmark for a long time as the place where EVs and electric vehicles will out-compete internal combustion cars on price.

There was a Bloomberg report earlier this month that China has gotten its EV battery costs below $100 per kilowatt hour. And that in climate tech and in the clean energy world, we've been talking about this $100 per kilowatt hour benchmark for a long time as the place where EVs and electric vehicles will out-compete internal combustion cars on price.

Like, this is the mythical benchmark that we need to hit. It seems that China has now hit that mark. And if you look at their EV adoption figures... Nearly half, more than half of vehicles sold every month now are either plug-in hybrids or battery electric vehicles. Under Biden, the administration has made a lot of efforts to onshore the supply chain.

Like, this is the mythical benchmark that we need to hit. It seems that China has now hit that mark. And if you look at their EV adoption figures... Nearly half, more than half of vehicles sold every month now are either plug-in hybrids or battery electric vehicles. Under Biden, the administration has made a lot of efforts to onshore the supply chain.

But how are we going to compete with the Chinese EV manufacturing complex that seems to have achieved all these cost reductions that we're not close to yet?

But how are we going to compete with the Chinese EV manufacturing complex that seems to have achieved all these cost reductions that we're not close to yet?

What would happen to the investments that the Biden administration has made in battery chemistry and battery manufacturing and EVs themselves, like the big Rivian project in Georgia, if some of these policy supports, either on the manufacturing side or on the consumer side, the $7,500 EV tax credit were to drop out?

What would happen to the investments that the Biden administration has made in battery chemistry and battery manufacturing and EVs themselves, like the big Rivian project in Georgia, if some of these policy supports, either on the manufacturing side or on the consumer side, the $7,500 EV tax credit were to drop out?

Something that the Biden administration and the Trump administration seem to completely agree on is that what we absolutely should not do is import a lot of cheap Chinese EVs, which, by the way, would reduce oil demand, would help our decarbonization goals. Why should the U.S. not do that?

Something that the Biden administration and the Trump administration seem to completely agree on is that what we absolutely should not do is import a lot of cheap Chinese EVs, which, by the way, would reduce oil demand, would help our decarbonization goals. Why should the U.S. not do that?

In some ways, that feels like the most classic I think throughout this conversation, you've rejected that some of these tradeoffs exist, but this seems like the most classic tradeoff that there is, right? In your argument, we should be favoring domestic deployment of these technologies over the emissions reductions of them, especially if they're coming from China.

In some ways, that feels like the most classic I think throughout this conversation, you've rejected that some of these tradeoffs exist, but this seems like the most classic tradeoff that there is, right? In your argument, we should be favoring domestic deployment of these technologies over the emissions reductions of them, especially if they're coming from China.

It just seems like you're taking a real hard stand on this particular tradeoff.

It just seems like you're taking a real hard stand on this particular tradeoff.