interesting read: lithium batteries for cars

ADY planning on production of 8,000 tonnes of Lithium carbonate and 9,000 tonnes of LiCl annually.


http://www.evworld.com/library/lithium_shortage.pdf

Key Points:
- Estimate of 60 million cars produced each year worldwide.
- Toyota Prius currently uses 9kWh Lilon batteries.
- The Prius is currently sold in 40 countries, and has taken eight years since it was first released to reach the half a million sales mark, with the other half accumulated in just two more years. http://www.caradvice.com.au/12690/prius-sales-top-one-million/
- GM's recently announced "Volt" car requires 16kWh batteries.
- Current production of Lilon EV batteries is insignificant.
- 1 million 8kWh batteries would require estimate of 11,000 tonnes of Lithium Carbonate.


http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080723/electric_cars.html

Key Points:
"Automakers, such as General Motors Corp. and Toyota Motor Corp., are planning to bring rechargeable vehicles to the market as early as 2010. But speakers at the Plug-In 2008 conference say it will take much longer for them to arrive in mass numbers, due in part to a current lack of large-battery manufacturing capacity. Auto and battery companies still are working on the lithium-ion battery technology needed for the cars, and on how to link the battery packs to the vehicles."