Battery production concerns for Europe

The European Union’s Court of Auditors has pointed out the risk of a shortage of batteries for electric vehicles, given the ambitious objectives set for 2035. Despite efforts, EU faces competition and a potential dependence on raw materials. For five key raw materials (cobalt, nickel, lithium, manganese, natural graphite), the EU is 78% dependent on imports, coming from a small number of countries. Some 87% of raw lithium is imported from Australia, 68% of cobalt from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and 40% of natural graphite comes from China.