Electric cars soon to be a rarity again?

Important raw materials are becoming scarce

Created: 12/20/2021, 10:37 AM

From: Marcus Efler

The number of electric cars is expected to increase rapidly in the next few years - scarce raw materials could slow down the boom.

Tesla has a solution.

Cologne - The turnaround to electromobility is in full swing.

Funding for the purchase of pure electric vehicles is guaranteed until 2025, and the new government's goal of 15 million e-cars on German roads by 2030 seems achievable.

Even if the enthusiasm of many drivers for battery-powered vehicles is currently limited: The future of private transport seems electric.

(BMW i4 on the Tesla hunt: demand exceeds all expectations)

Electric cars soon to be a rarity again?

Important raw materials are becoming scarce

But now a study by the Cologne Institute of the German Economy (IW) is causing disillusionment, as reported by 24auto.de.

Many of the raw materials that are important for cars with batteries or fuel cells could become scarce earlier than expected, the experts fear.

(Electric cars more climate-friendly than combustion engines? Study now contradicts skeptics)

Sustainable: Most Tesla cars (here Model Y) use batteries without cobalt.

(Symbol image) © Tesla

Electric cars soon to be a rarity again?

Cobalt deposits will last for another eleven years

The supply of cobalt, lithium and graphite, which are important for battery production, is at risk.

The cobalt reserves, for example, would only last eleven years if demand is forecast - i.e. they will run out before the combustion ban decided by the EU Commission for 2035.

The raw materials platinum, iridium and nickel, which are also scarce, are in turn required to produce hydrogen, which drives electric cars with fuel cells.

Hydrogen is an important energy source, especially for trucks and ships (hydrogen instead of batteries: Toyota Mirai multiplies sales - that's behind it)

Electric cars soon to be a rarity again?

Tesla banishes scarce raw materials

The IW, which carried out the study on behalf of the Association of Bavarian Business, is hoping for technical progress.

For example, a significantly higher recycling rate could reduce the need for newly extracted raw materials.

Cobalt-free batteries would also alleviate the problem.

According to its own statements, electric car pioneer Tesla is already largely avoiding cobalt, and other manufacturers and battery producers are also in the process of significantly reducing this raw material.