Will the diffusion of electric vehicles lead to an increasing demand for metals?

Yes, according to an interesting analysis released on November 1st by international consultancy group Wood Mackenzie. Fully electric vehicles will require four times as much copper. The infrastructure for charging them will see an increased demand for copper or aluminium cables. As vehicles become lighter and more efficient, there's likely to be an increased use of aluminium too. 

Of course the battery is the heart of an electric vehicle. The most popular type among car manufacturers, the lithium-ion one, is expected to have a nickel chemistry and sourcing the necessary quantities of this metal will be a real challenge for the industry. 

Recently the European Copper Institute posed itself the question if there is enough copper to face the global shift towards renewable energy sources and electric vehicles. The answer was that even with the increased demand for copper, the resources of the red metal on the planet, coupled with its 100% recyclability, clearly point to the abundance of copper for all forthcoming applications.

What will be the impact of e-mobility on the wire & cable industry?
As electric vehicles become more cost-competitive and efficient, global adoption is foreseen to accelerate rapidly, particularly within cities. Such changes will, of course, impact the automotive industry suppliers; but, as explained by the wire Düsseldorf trade show press team in a recent article, wire and wire-processing industry can be confident about their good position.

Although an electric vehicle does not need cylinder head bolts, valve springs or fuel filters, it does require other wire-based components such as springs and flexible components for electrical contacts, circuitry elements and connectors, screws and bolts for the chassis, the seats and the boot, etc. Some products like cables and wire are even expected to sell better than before. The challenge is open.

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