EVs and HEVs to drive Li-ion battery business

Hybrid and pure electric cars will be much more than half of the value of this market by the end of the decade. About 70% of the relatively small number of manufacturers of these have committed to only three suppliers over the next three years. However, everything about Li-ion is changing, including all electrode and electrolyte chemistry and morphology. There have been severe safety blunders by some big names. All this underlines the importance of keeping up to date with the chemistry, commercial thrust and success. Many suppliers are collapsing while Tesla with Panasonic is about to out invest the leaders.

The primary battleground in improving the properties of Li-ion batteries to meet market needs now lies in energy density and cost per unit of energy stored because other parameters are generally good enough for most applications in vehicle traction. It is primarily about the all-electric range of hybrid and pure electric cars and making them affordable, with adequate life. Currently resale prices are crippling partly because of inadequate battery life. Cathode chemistry has been the primary focus but now there is also considerable attention towards anode chemistry and electrolyte.

Only a few countries have a sufficient gross output to support a viable supply chain of these battery chemicals, materials and research. Only a few manufacturers involved can vertically integrate to a great extent. Europe has particular challenges and it is in great danger of being a follower when they should be trying to leapfrog the technology.