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Google indicates that a typical electric car contains 183 pounds of copper. That's a lot! But a typical house contains 470 pounds. That's even more. So I'm not
by scythe 4y ago
Google indicates that a typical electric car contains 183 pounds of copper. That's a lot! But a typical house contains 470 pounds. That's even more. So I'm not convinced that cars alone will dominate the market for copper.
- 01100011 4y agoDoes that include copper pipes, which are being phased out? Regardless, it matters. Nearly everything that is being electrified, including formerly gas appliances like water heaters and stoves, will require more copper. Unlike lithium, we do not appear to have readily available reserves of copper that aren't already being extracted. Unlike lithium, there is no suitable competitor right now like you have with sodium.
- scythe 4y agoThe majority is in wiring, but pipes are included in the average. Aluminum wiring is a thing, but allowance must be made for its high coefficient of thermal expansion, which has led to fires with aluminum wiring in the past. Overall, I would agree that copper is one of the tightest resources right now (moreso than nickel or lithium) but I don't think it's going to create a worldwide crisis. Applications where switching to aluminum is the least difficult will probably be changed first. But do also notice: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/adfm.201806792 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/adfm.201806...