Tesla has signed an agreement with Australian company Syrah Resources to switch to graphite from Mozambique that contains a key component to use in the batteries of its electric cars.

Some analysts believe that this deal is also aimed at reducing Tesla's dependence on China for graphite procurement.

"The US wants to build enough capacity domestically to be able to build (lithium-ion batteries) within the US. And this deal will allow Tesla to source graphite independently from China," said Simon Moores of Benchmark Mineral Intelligence.

It is a unique partnership between an electric vehicle manufacturer and a producer of the mineral that is essential for lithium-ion batteries.

Tesla will buy the material from the company's processing plant in Vidalia, Louisiana, which acquires graphite from its mine in Balama, in Cabo Delgado province in northern Mozambique.

The electric carmaker plans to buy up to 80% of what the plant produces - 8,000 tons of graphite per year - starting in 2025, according to the agreement.

The deal with Syrah is part of a broader effort by automakers to secure relatively rare raw materials for batteries as demand for electric vehicles is expected to grow, said Sam Abuelsamid, principal e-mobility analyst at Guidehouse Insights.

For the Australian mining company, the deal is "crucial" because it has a non-Chinese buyer for its graphite product.

Syrah's graphite mine is one of the largest in the world, with the capacity to produce 350,000 tons of crude graphite per year.