Why it matters to materials
The EV is the single largest new source of demand for lithium, cobalt, graphite and rare-earth magnets, and a large new source of demand for copper and nickel. It is also why a mine permitted in 2026 is being justified by a car that will be sold in 2033.
What it is made of
All materials →| Material | What it does here | Importance |
|---|---|---|
| Cobalt critical | Keeps the cathode structurally stable | Defining |
| Copper critical | Current collectors, motor windings, busbars and charging | Defining |
| Graphite critical | The anode — the heaviest active material in the cell | Defining |
| Lithium critical | The cathode and electrolyte salt | Defining |
| Neodymium critical | Permanent magnets in the traction motor | Defining |
| Nickel critical | Raises the energy the cathode can hold | Defining |
| Phosphate Rock critical | The cathode in LFP cells | Defining |
| Aluminium critical | Body, cathode foil and pack casing | Important |
| Dysprosium critical | Keeps those magnets working hot | Important |
| Iron & Steel | Structure and motor laminations | Important |
| Manganese critical | Cathode component in NMC and LMFP | Important |
| Praseodymium critical | Substitutes for neodymium in magnet alloy | Important |
| Silicon critical | Power electronics and anode additive | Important |
Cobalt
A hard, bluish metal that keeps a battery's cathode stable so it does not overheat, and that holds its strength when…
Copper
The reddish metal that carries electricity better than anything except silver, and which humans have been smelting…
Graphite
Pure carbon in soft, slippery sheets — the same stuff as pencil lead — and the material that holds the lithium when a…
Lithium
A soft, silvery metal so light it floats on water, and the element that lets a rechargeable battery store a lot of…
Neodymium
The rare earth at the heart of the strongest magnet ever made — the kind in headphones, hard drives, wind turbines…
Nickel
A silvery metal that resists rust, which is why it goes into stainless steel — and, more recently, into the cathodes…
The technologies inside it
Material calculator →
EV Traction Motor
The permanent-magnet synchronous motor that drives most electric cars.
LFP Lithium-Ion Battery
Iron and phosphate instead of nickel and cobalt: heavier, cheaper, safer and very long-lived.
NMC Lithium-Ion Battery
The high-energy chemistry — nickel, manganese and cobalt in the cathode — used where range matters most.
NdFeB Permanent Magnet
The strongest permanent magnet ever made — neodymium, iron and boron, sintered and coated.