CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Tesla founder Elon Musk said the lithium refinery in Robstown aims to be built in a year, and hopes to be running at full production in 2025, during the site's groundbreaking ceremony on Monday.
"This is extremely fast, by normal standards, but that's how we do things," he said.
The South African entrepreneur told the crowd of local and state dignitaries that the refinery looks to offset what will eventually be the hindrance to producing electric vehicles -- battery-grade lithium availability.
"It's not that there's a shortage of lithium ore to mine, but there is a shortage of . . . refinement of lithium to battery-grade," he said.
The Robstown refinery will play a part in ensuring the availability of ultra-pure lithium for electric vehicles, Musk said, so that electric vehicle batteries don't degrade as quickly.
Tesla officials said during Monday's news conference that its particular process of refining the lithium is one that produces sand and limestone, as opposed to heavier substances such as sodium sulfate in other companies' processes, and uses 20 percent less energy.
"It's a very sort of 'clean' refinery," Musk said. "There's no toxic emissions or anything. You could live right in the middle of the refinery and not suffer any ill effects."
The team said it is currently looking for ways to use that sand and limestone byproduct in a sustainable way.
They also said the location is ideal for several reasons, including its proximity to Austin -- where Tesla is based -- the nearby port, and railway systems in Robstown.
The Corpus Christi-area location is ideal because of its proximity to and involvement in oil and gas refinery processes.
"It's rather applicable to what we're doing here," they said.
Nueces County Pct. 3 Commissioner John Marez said the availability of land for sale in the area was the icing on the cake for Musk's expanding Texas-based ventures.
"Means jobs, opportunity, really puts us on the map," he said. "When you look at the map where Austin is located, Space X, all these interests he has is along this general corridor...It just makes sense."
Robstown Mayor Gilbert Gomez said the city has been working hard to bring economic development to the community.
"It's a great economy boost for the whole region, area, Nueces county, for Robstown," he said. "We're getting calls about other companies to come here so this is great."
The factory is said to be a first of its kind in the U.S.
"The fact that Elon Musk shows up!" said Nueces County Pct. 4 Commissioner Brent Chesney. "That man runs companies all over this country, multi-billion dollar companies, and here he is in Robstown, Texas, showing how important it is to be in Nueces county."