Dr. Zeng, said:
If you think about it, five years ago people were only mining ores containing 1.8 % lithium, and now they can get 0.3 % lithium ores.
“Improved technology is driving this change.”
Increasing energy density lies at the heart of battery technology, helping improve material efficiency and therefore reducing the demand for raw materials. Through innovative battery design, state-of-the-art battery technology today is able to deliver a range of 100 km with 12 kWh battery capacity, compared with the industry average of 15 or 16 kWh, which translates into a significant decrease in demand for critical materials for the same range.
Another way of reducing dependency on critical materials like lithium is finding an alternative at lower cost, such as sodium-ion batteries or cobalt-free cathode materials. In 2021, CATL launched its first generation of sodium-ion batteries, and it is now developing its second-generation sodium-ion batteries, allowing affordable cars with a driving range of 400 to 500 kilometers, according to Zeng.
Dr. Zeng also stressed the transformative role of battery recycling. Most materials in a battery can be recycled and reused effectively, unlike oil that cannot be recycled. Together with its subsidiary Brunp, CATL has achieved a recovery rate of 99.6% for nickel, cobalt and manganese, and 91% for lithium.
Dr. Zeng, said:
“The demand for critical minerals might increase by five times in the next 10 years considering the fast growth of the industry.”
“But at the end of the day, when we achieved 100% electric cars, there will be very tiny amount of new critical materials to be mined.”
