Battery technology and recycling alone will not save the electric mobility transition from future cobalt shortages

In recent years, increasing attention has been given to the potential supply risks of critical battery materials, such as cobalt, for electric mobility transitions. While battery technology and recycling advancement are two widely acknowledged strategies for addressing such supply risks, the extent to which they will relieve global and regional cobalt demand-supply imbalance remains poorly understood. Here, we address this gap by simulating historical (1998-2019) and future (2020-2050) global cobalt cycles covering both traditional and emerging end uses with regional resolution (China, the U.S., Japan, the EU, and the rest of the world). We show that cobalt-free batteries and recycling progress can indeed…

• VF
  Villum Fonden
• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 72088101, 71874207, 71633006, 72104253, 71991480, 71991484, 72088101, 71991484, 71991480, 71874210
• CS
  Central South University

  Awards: 71633006, 71874207, 72088101, 2019CX016, 71874210
• IP
  Innovation-Driven Project of Central South University

  Award: 2019CX016