Natural resources and CO2: hazards ahead for battery electric vehicles?

Electric vehicles now exceed 2 million globally, just 0.2 percent of the more than 1 billion vehicles on highways worldwide. The global electric vehicle (EV) market is on the cusp of exponential growth as it aligns with government mandates to reduce CO2 emissions by replacing combustion engine vehicles with cleaner alternatives. Yet, as carmakers gear up to electrify their fleets, they face challenges to secure supplies of raw materials used for battery production and to prove the environmental benefits of a lifecycle perspective. This paper examines some of the obstacles when designing an energy-transition strategy for the electric mobility market.