Lithium vital for EVs?

Lithium-ion batteries for EVs provide more constant voltage, hold more energy, and discharge slowly but generally need battery management and cooling/heating systems to be fully effective.

EVs use about eight kilograms of lithium each, according to tech researcher Hugh Grant, who reckons there are 22 million tons of usable lithium reserves worldwide – enough lithium to produce 2.5 billion batteries.

Lithium is highly reusable, much of it retrievable and recyclable and forecast to account for 6% of total lithium supply by 2030.

While rising in demand and price, lithium isn’t expected to run out.

Australia and Chile comprise about 66% of the supply chain.

Global lithium demand is forecast to be six times greater in 2030 than it was in 2020.

Tesla chief executive Elon Musk talked about lithium at this year’s shareholders meeting, including for its Powerwall and Megapack lithium-ion battery energy storage products.

Alternatives being developed include sodium-based batteries, nickel-cobalt combinations, zinc-ion, solid-state, quantum glass, and liquid metal.

CATL says its new battery design (possibly an electrolyte gel) will enter mass production later this year and be used in civil aviation and road transport.