• The agreement moves Dragonfly Energy closer to achieving the Company’s mission of establishing a vertically integrated lithium battery cycle, from mining to production to recycling
  
• Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo states the importance of partnerships like those between Dragonfly Energy and Ioneer are vital to strengthening and diversifying Nevada economy
• Agreement advances Nevada production and manufacturing of critical minerals and accelerates domestic electrification pipeline for Lithium battery components

RENO, Nev., May 09, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dragonfly Energy Holdings Corp. (“Dragonfly” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: DFLI), an industry leader in energy storage, and Ioneer Ltd. (“Ioneer”) (Nasdaq: IONR, ASX: INR), an emerging lithium-boron producer, today announced a commercial offtake agreement that the Company believes will strengthen U.S. battery supply chains and invest in the production and manufacturing of Nevada-sourced lithium. The agreement between the two Nevada-based companies is expected to pave the way for continued investment in the state and provide Dragonfly with a domestic supply of lithium carbonate, a critical component in lithium iron phosphate battery cells.

The agreement builds on an effort to produce, utilize and recycle lithium, closing the lithium loop in Nevada that Gov. Joe Lombardo has prioritized for his administration, detailed in both his recent State of the State address and his Five Year Strategic Plan.

“This agreement between Dragonfly Energy and Ioneer, and hopefully more like it in the future, are vital to our economy as we work to develop this new industry, secure Nevada’s energy independence and close the lithium loop,” said Nevada Governor Lombardo. “In the future, we hope to see more Nevada companies creating innovative partnerships like this one, which will help strengthen our economy and demonstrate how Nevada is the lithium capital of North America.”

“Deploying our innovative dry powder coating cell manufacturing process is exciting. But ultimately, cell production is only made possible by access to lithium,” Dr. Denis Phares, CEO of Dragonfly Energy, said. “This agreement gives us the opportunity to bring our entire manufacturing process not only to the U.S. but to Nevada, from mining to manufacturing to recycling .”

“As the world’s demand for lithium in electric vehicle and energy storage increases, the need to secure a reliable and domestic source of lithium is critical. Ioneer is pleased to partner with Dragonfly and deliver these critical materials from Rhyolite Ridge,” said Bernard Rowe, managing director and CEO at Ioneer.

The agreement demonstrates Ioneer’s tremendous value to the American supply chain. Rhyolite Ridge is one of the most sophisticated undeveloped U.S. lithium projects, and one of few in the world where lithium will be extracted and refined locally. Once federal permitting and construction is complete, Rhyolite Ridge is expected to quadruple current U.S. lithium output. The agreement also moves Dragonfly Energy closer to achieving the company’s mission of establishing a vertically integrated lithium battery cycle, from mining to cell and pack production to recycling.

Dragonfly Energy has quickly become an industry leader in lithium-ion battery technology due to numerous patents and alignment with some of the industry’s leading consumer brands. The Company assembles lithium-ion battery packs in Nevada today through its popular Battle Born Batteries brand. Dragonfly Energy also believes it is leading the way with its research and development team that has developed patented manufacturing processes and technologies that will be deployed as the company looks to launch its pilot line for nonflammable lithium battery cell production later this year.

About Dragonfly Energy
Dragonfly Energy Holdings Corp. (Nasdaq: DFLI) headquartered in Reno, Nevada, is a leading supplier of deep-cycle lithium-ion batteries. Dragonfly Energy’s research and development initiatives are revolutionizing the energy storage industry through innovative technologies and manufacturing processes. Today, Dragonfly Energy’s non-toxic deep-cycle lithium-ion batteries are displacing lead-acid batteries across a wide range of end-markets, including RVs, marine vessels, off-grid installations and other storage applications. Dragonfly Energy is also focused on delivering an energy storage solution to enable a more sustainable and reliable smart grid through the future deployment of its proprietary and patented solid-state cell technology. To learn more, visit www.dragonflyenergy.com/investors.

About Ioneer
Ioneer Ltd is the 100% owner of the Rhyolite Ridge Lithium-Boron Project located in Nevada, USA, the only known lithium-boron deposit in North America and one of only two known such deposits in the world. The Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) completed in 2020 confirmed Rhyolite Ridge as a world- class lithium and boron project that is expected to become a globally significant, long-life, low-cost source of lithium and boron vital to a sustainable future. In September 2021, Ioneer entered into an agreement with Sibanye-Stillwater where, following the satisfaction of conditions precedent, Sibanye-Stillwater will acquire a 50% interest in the Project, with Ioneer maintaining a 50% interest and retaining the operational management responsibility for the joint venture. In January 2023, Ioneer received a conditional commitment from the U.S. Department of Energy Loan Programs Office for up to $700 million of debt financing. Ioneer signed separate offtake agreements with Ford Motor Company and PPES (joint venture between Toyota and Panasonic) in 2022 and Korea’s EcoPro Innovation in 2021. To learn more about Ioneer, visit www.Ioneer.com/investors.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical statements of fact and statements regarding the Company’s intent, belief, or expectations, including, but not limited to, statements regarding the agreement with Ioneer, the Company’s future results of operations and financial position, planned products and services, business strategy and plans, market size and growth opportunities, competitive position and technological and market trends. Some of these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words, including “may,” “should,” “expect,” “intend,” “will,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “predict,” “plan,” “targets,” “projects,” “could,” “would,” “continue,” “forecast” or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar expressions.

These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors (some of which are beyond the Company’s control) which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that may impact such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: the Company’s ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the Company’s recent business combination with Chardan NexTech Acquisition 2 Corp. and related transactions; the Company’s ability to successfully increase market penetration into target markets; the growth of the addressable markets that the Company intends to target; the Company’s ability to retain members of its senior management team and other key personnel; the Company’s ability to maintain relationships with key suppliers including suppliers in China; the Company’s ability to maintain relationships with key customers; the Company’s ability to access capital as and when needed under its $150 million ChEF Equity Facility; the Company’s ability to protect its patents and other intellectual property; the Company’s ability to successfully optimize solid state cells and to produce commercially viable solid state cells in a timely manner or at all, and to scale to mass production; the Company’s ability to achieve the anticipated benefits of its customer arrangements with THOR Industries and THOR Industries’ affiliated brands (including Keystone RV Company); the impact of the coronavirus disease pandemic, including any mutations or variants thereof and/or the Russian/Ukrainian conflict; the Company’s ability to generate revenue from future product sales and its ability to achieve and maintain profitability; and the Company’s ability to compete with other manufacturers in the industry and its ability to engage target customers and successfully convert these customers into meaningful orders in the future. These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in the sections entitled “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 and in the Company’s subsequent filings with the SEC.

If any of these risks materialize or any of the Company’s assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that the Company presently does not know or that it currently believes are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date they were made. Except to the extent required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.

Dragonfly Energy Contacts:
Investor Relations
Sioban Hickie, ICR, Inc.
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Media Relations
Amy Demuth, RAD Strategies Inc.
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Ioneer Contacts:
Chad Yeftich
Vice President Corporate Development and External Affairs, Ioneer
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Media Relations
Daniel Francis, FGS Global
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