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MtnDon
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# Posted: 14 Apr 2016 22:43 - Edited by: MtnDon
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USAToday / OilPrice article
from the article... " Tesla produced less than 50,000 cars last year. Elon himself mentioned during the unveiling that Tesla will be gobbling up much of the world's lithium supply with plans to produce 500,000 EVs per year. "In order to produce a half million cars per year...we would basically need to absorb the entire world's lithium-ion production." Remember – this is one man, one company. Tesla's soon-to-be-completed gigafactory will produce more lithium-ion batteries than the rest of the world combined."
and... "According to The Economist, the ''global scramble to secure supplies of lithium by the world's largest battery producers, and by end-users such as carmakers", among other things, has seen the price of lithium carbonate imported to China more than double just in November and December of last year alone, when it reached an amazing $13,000 per ton. Some contracts in China, according to Bloomberg, have seen over $23,000."
Maybe we'll be lucky and find more reserves
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bldginsp
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# Posted: 14 Apr 2016 23:17
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Is the cost of the lithium itself the major factor in final battery price, or is cost of manufacture larger? Still, we can't see continued drops in battery prices if the basic resource is limited.
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MtnDon
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# Posted: 14 Apr 2016 23:54
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I don't know, to the first Q?
And the second line accurately reflects my thoughts. Months ago I stated my opinion that demand will mean prices on lithium batteries are not going to fall. Perhaps $ will rise, but who knows for sure?
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NorthRick
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# Posted: 15 Apr 2016 01:05
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I suspect, that there are know reserves of lithium that simply didn't pencil out to mine at previous prices. But, a some point it does make economic sense, and then more supply becomes available on the market.
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