A carbon-free world and green economy have a lot riding on the future of electricity generation and storage. As the world moves away from hydrocarbons and toward electricity to power everything from cars to the factories that make them and beyond, there is yet another crucial hurdle to clear. To meet the expected electric future for vehicles alone, it will take more manganese, cobalt, nickel, copper, and lithium than we as a planet are currently producing. These elements are the building blocks for the batteries that power the electrified future—and they are finite.
Supply concerns have already hit automakers as more and more look to grow their electric vehicle (EV) footprints.
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