2 ms·
Assuming 50 kg of lithium carbonate per car (most sources I can find are somewhere in the 500-700g/kWh for lithium carbonate), and a price of $5/kg, you're look
by JshWright 11y ago
Assuming 50 kg of lithium carbonate per car (most sources I can find are somewhere in the 500-700g/kWh for lithium carbonate), and a price of $5/kg, you're looking at $250 in lithium per car. Even if you take the high end estimates I found (1.3kg LCE/kWh and $6/kg for LCE), you're still well under $1,000 in lithium costs.
I'm sure a reduction in lithium costs would be welcomed by everyone involved, but it certainly wouldn't cause price to plummet.
- aerovistae 11y agoHmm. Nice work doing the math out. My statement was evidently erroneous. Which component makes the battery so expensive, then? Do you know? I am not really familiar with its make-up past the lithium. One thing to consider, though, is that lithium coming from Chile is going to have a significant mark-up owing to transportation and tariff costs. Do your numbers take that into account, or were you looking at the raw material value?
- alex_hirner 11y agoLithium makes up ~11% of a pack, according to this source. Anode and cathode materials together incur around three times as much cost. https://www.quora.com/How-will-Tesla-deal-with-the-rising-cost-of-lithium-and-falling-oil-prices/answer/Jared-Croft https://www.quora.com/How-will-Tesla-deal-with-the-rising-co...