The US Department of Commerce has announced preliminary anti-dumping duties of 93.5 per cent on imports of anode-grade graphite from all Chinese producers, according to a department fact sheet and multiple official statements.
This move targets key raw materials essential for US electric vehicle (EV) battery production, aiming to counteract what US authorities describe as systematic underpricing by Chinese exporters.
The duties apply uniformly, with a single anti-dumping margin and cash deposit rate of 93.5 per cent for every Chinese producer of anode-grade graphite.
Imports affected by the order were valued at US$347.1 million (2.49 billion yuan) in 2023.
The tariffs specifically cover graphite with a purity content of at least 90 per cent carbon by weight, including synthetic, natural, or blended sources.
The decision follows Commerce Department findings that Chinese graphite was being sold in the US at prices below fair market value, harming US producers and distorting competition.
The duties are preliminary and take effect immediately, pending final determinations, which are scheduled for December 5, 2025.
In a parallel investigation, the Commerce Department also announced preliminary countervailing duties to address alleged Chinese government subsidies.
Most Chinese producers face a 6.55 per cent countervailing duty, but two companies — Huzhou Kaijin New Energy Technology and Shanghai Shaosheng Knitted Sweat — were assigned much higher rates of 712.03 per cent and 721.03 per cent, respectively.
The petition that triggered these investigations came from the American Active Anode Material Producers, a coalition representing domestic manufacturers including Anovion Technologies (NY), Syrah Technologies (LA), Novonix Anode Materials (TN), Epsilon Advanced Materials (NC), and SKI US (GA).
China produces over 90 per cent of battery-grade graphite processed globally, a concentration that the International Energy Agency recently identified as a significant supply chain risk.
The new tariffs — combined with existing measures — are expected to raise the effective import cost to about 160 per cent, increasing EV battery input costs by an estimated US$7 per kilowatt-hour and potentially adding US$420–US$700 per vehicle.
These trade actions come against the backdrop of unresolved US-China negotiations on critical minerals, including export controls on rare earth elements.
The Commerce Department has indicated that both the anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties will be finalised by December, barring changes resulting from ongoing investigations.
