Ford Motor Co. mentioned on Monday it signed a long-term cope with Nemaska Lithium for the provision of lithium merchandise, together with lithium hydroxide, because the automaker ramps up electrical car manufacturing to 2 million models by the tip of 2026.

The cope with the Canadian lithium firm comes as North American automakers race to safe provides of battery supplies to spice up EV output amid surging demand for environment-friendly automobiles.

Earlier this 12 months, Ford joined PT Vale Indonesia and China’s Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt’s as their new companion in a $4.5 billion (all figures in USD) nickel processing plant in Indonesia.

The deal introduced on Monday will strengthen “Ford’s sourcing to supply two million EVs by the tip of 2026 – and past,” at a time when doubts linger on Wall Road in regards to the automaker’s means to hit that concentrate on.

Ford reaffirmed its full-year steering of $9 billion to $11 billion of adjusted earnings earlier than curiosity and taxes and about $6 billion in adjusted free money move.

The automaker continues to anticipate its EV unit to lose $3 billion this 12 months.

Nemaska Lithium is equally owned by Investissement Québec, the financial growth company of the Québec authorities, and Livent.