Is There Enough Nickel Available?

摘要

One of the many questions being asked today is, if there is a quick shift to Electric Vehicles (EVs), will there be enough Nickel (and Cobalt and Lithium) available to produce the Lithium Ion batteries that are needed. While nickel chemicals are of greatest interest, there is some solid nickel metal, and nickel-plated and/or nickel-containing stainless steels also being used. One of the major influences of nickel compounds is to increase the energy density of batteries. Of course, no one knows what the exact chemistries of the batteries will be in 10 years, therefore we must make estimates based on current battery technology. The two most common lithium ion battery types are named after their cathode materials: NMC (Nickel-Manganese-Cobalt) and NCA (Nickel-Cobalt-Aluminum), the latter battery being the most commonly used type today for EVs. The poster will make go through the assumptions about the number of EVs that will be produced in the world, the amount of nickel needed, and the availability of nickel to make the products needed for the batteries. The poster's conclusion is that there will be enough nickel available, based on the information available today.