Quote:
Originally Posted by GrussGott
At this point EVs are a national security issue for the West as China has invented this industry and will soon take the lead ... some stats:
▸ TSLA leads the World in new EV sales accounting for ~20% of all new EVs sold
▸ VW is a distant 2nd with ~5% of all new EVs sold, but let's assume they'll do better 
That sounds pretty damn good! USA! USA!  Buuutttt ....
▸ China accounts for ~75% of global lithium-ion battery production
▸ The USA is a distant 2nd with ~10% of global lithium-ion battery production
▸ Europe is 3rd with ~5% of global lithium-ion battery production
 
Granted EU companies like Northvolt in Sweden and the governments themselves are trying to supercharge things, and then Canada has a big mining & startup scene, not to mention US efforts by Tesla and others ... it might help, but right now it doesn't look great ...
That said, Lithium isn't really scarce, it's just kinda hard to get, and the West has a decent supply; this is old but dirt is dirt:
The West will catch up or China will own the future of energy (and communications w/ 5G & robotics & AI ) |
Interesting statistics,thank you for putting it in that quick format.
China is 75% producer of lithium batteries you say, my only concern otherwise is the use of child slave labour for the Cobalt used for it.
Around 60% of worlds supply comes from DR of Congo and young children are used in unregulated mines there.