Part Five: Electric Dreams Deferred
Lithium Supply Chain: How recycled batteries may impact the market
By Elric Langton | 24 March 2024
In the high-politicised narrative of the automotive and energy storage sectors, the lithium supply chain emerges as a protagonist in a tale tinged with ambition and a hint of scepticism and political will without the consensus of the people. While government bodies and institutions like the World Economic Forum are fervently steering the ship towards an electric vehicle (EV) future disaster, some might argue, one cannot help but raise an eyebrow at the pace and direction of this transition or note the hypocrisy of the lack of EV ownership of those elitists telling us mere peasants what we should drive. It’s a bit like being ushered onto a high-speed train without a glance at the timetable or destination or the driver's competence. The projected sales of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) – a whopping 13.3 million units by the end of 2024, capturing 16.2% of global passenger vehicle sales – are impressive. However, one wonders whether this is a case of the cart pulling the horse or Bidenomics.