EV market is quickly changing, page-2

Let me get this straight in everybody's minds so some posters don't over exaggerate. China does not control Lithium Mining/Production. They used to because they were the biggest users and produced most of what they required internally stifling O/S competition. This isn't the case anymore. Graphite used in anodes is a different matter.

Tesla was the largest electric car manufacturer in 2020, which directly translates to the level of consumption of key elements for batteries, like lithium (especially that Tesla's EV batteries are usually 50-100 kWh per pack). According to the latest report from Adamas Intelligence, in 2020 Tesla deployed 18,700 tonnes of Lithium carbonate equivalent (“LCE”) onto roads globally in the batteries of its newly sold passenger EVs.

- A couple of things here. Tesla produced 500,000 EV's in 2020 which were all electric which means 37.4kg of LCE was used in each car. When you google how much lithium is in a Tesla battery it comes up with 10kg so you need 3.74kg of LCE to make 1kg of Lithium Hydroxide?? When I google that it doesn't come up with anything useful. INR in their latest presentation (page 2) discloses -
LCE = lithium carbonate tonnes produced + lithium hydroxide tonnes produced x 0.880. Confusing.

Tesla LCE usage (in EVs) by models:

• Model 3: 67%
• Model Y: 17%
• Model S/X: 16%

By region it's:

• Americas: 47%
• Asia Pacific: 34%
• Europe: 19%:
• elsewhere: less than 1%

"Through the first three quarters of 2020, 100% of Tesla’s lithium consumption was in the form of lithium hydroxide. However, with the release of the made-in-China Model 3 Standard Range powered by LFP cells from CATL in the fourth quarter of 2020, this share dropped to 84%, according to Adamas Intelligence data." Other Chinese manufactures are using LFP as well, especially in those small bubble cars so China's percentage could be as low as 50% overall. EU and USA is basically 100% because consumers are range conscious.

Tesla also recently announced their external battery storage system, megapacks which come in 20 foot containers, will now be made only from LFP cells which are much cheaper. The beauty about them is you can buy as many as you need or can afford. You can start with 4-8 as a starter pack and build from there or remote towns/villages may only need that many. I'm expecting demand to boom in the next couple of years.


Do your own research to get the facts and ignore the hype and the ramping