Infographic: How Much Copper is an Electric Vehicle?

Jun 03, 2023

Published

on

By

Copper's special relationship with electricity has been apparent since ship designers first regularly began installing copper to protect the masts of wooden ships from lightning in the early 19th century.

Today, of course, you might be more used to seeing copper's electrical applications through the use of power lines, telephone wires, and wiring in practically every major home appliance you own.

Millions of tons get used for these applications every year, but it is still early days for copper's use in electrification. That's because copper will continue to be a critical component of the green energy revolution, thanks to the rising adoption of battery-powered vehicles.

Today's visualization comes to us from Canadian Platinum Corp., and it focuses on showing how much copper is in an electric vehicle, along with the properties that make it the ideal choice for an EV-powered future.

Here is why copper is a crucial component to vehicle manufacturers:

CostCopper costs roughly $0.20 per ounce, compared to silver ($15/oz) and gold ($1200/oz), making it by far the cheapest option for electrical wire.

Conductivity:Copper is nearly as conductive as silver – the most conductive metal – but comes at a fraction of the cost.

Ductility:Copper can easily be shaped into wire, which is important for most electrical applications.

It's also important to note that temperature does not affect copper's conductivity, which makes the metal ideal for automobiles in all climates.

The UBS Evidence Lab tore apart a traditional gas-powered vehicle as well as an EV to compare the different quantities of raw materials used.

What they found was crucial: there is 80% more copper in a Chevrolet Bolt, in comparison to a similar-sized Volkswagen Golf.

The major reason for this is that at the heart of every EV is an electric motor, which is built with copper, steel, and permanent magnets (rare earths). Electric motors tend to be much simpler than gas-powered engines, which have hundreds of moving parts.

Incredibly, in an electric motor, there can be more than a mile of copper wiring inside the stator.

According to Copper.org, along the scale from gas-powered cars to fully electrical vehicles, copper use increases dramatically.

Conventional gas-powered cars contain 18 to 49 lbs. of copper while a battery-powered EV contains 183 lbs. Meanwhile, for a fully electrical bus, a whopping 814 lbs. of copper is needed.

With the rapidly increasing adoption of electric vehicles, copper will be an essential material for the coming electrification of all forms of ground transport.

Copper is at the heart of the electric vehicle and the world will need more. By 2027, copper demand stemming from EVs is expected to increase by 1.7 million tonnes, which is a number just shy of China's entire copper production in 2017.

Everything You Need to Know on VMS Deposits

Copper: Driving the Green Energy Revolution

The 10 Longest Range EVs for 2023

Mapped: Renewable Energy and Battery Installations in the U.S. in 2023

How EV Adoption Will Impact Oil Consumption (2015-2025P)

Global EV Production: BYD Surpasses Tesla

How Does U.S. Electricity Generation Change Over One Week?

Visualizing the Flow of Energy-Related CO2 Emissions in the U.S.

With more renewables and EVs plugging into the grid, copper and nickel are essential building blocks for the energy transition.

Published

on

By

The raw materials required to transport and store clean energy are critical for the energy transition. Copper and nickel are two such metals.

Copper is essential for the transmission and distribution of clean electricity, while nickel powers lithium-ion batteries for EVs and energy storage systems.

The above infographic sponsored by CanAlaska Uranium explores how copper and nickel are enabling green technologies and highlights why they are essential for a utopian energy future.

When it comes to conducting electricity, copper is second only to silver. This property makes it an indispensable building block for multiple energy technologies, including:

BloombergNEF projects that, due to its expansive role in clean energy, the demand for copper from clean energy applications will double by 2030 from 2020 levels. The table below compares annual copper demand from clean energy, in tonnes, in 2020 vs. 2030:

Although power grids will account for the largest portion of annual copper demand through 2030, EV batteries are projected to spearhead the growth.

Nickel is a key ingredient in lithium-ion batteries for EVs and stationary energy storage systems. For EVs, nickel-based cathodes offer more energy density and longer driving ranges as compared to cathodes with lower nickel content.

According to Wood Mackenzie, batteries could account for 41% of global nickel demand by 2030, up from just 7% in 2021.

Nickel-based cathodes for lithium-ion batteries, including NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) and NCA (Nickel Cobalt Aluminum), are prevalent in EVs and make up more than 50% of the battery cathode chemistry market.

Both copper and nickel are essential building blocks of EVs and other key technologies for the energy transition and ultimately energy utopia.

As more such technologies are deployed, these metals are likely to be in high demand, with clean energy applications supplementing their existing industrial uses.

CanAlaska is a leading exploration company with a strategic portfolio of uranium, nickel, and copper projects in North America. Click here to learn more.

China has dominated global steel production the past few decades, but how did the country get here, and is its production growth over?

Globally, central banks bought a record 1,136 tonnes of gold in 2022. How has central bank gold demand changed over the last three decades?

Wealthy countries consume large amounts of natural resources per capita, and the U.S. is no exception. See how much is used per person.

This table shows the fluctuating returns for various commodities over the past decade, from energy fuels to industrial and precious metals.

Lithium production has grown exponentially over the last few decades. Which countries produce the most lithium, and how how has this mix evolved?

Many new technologies critical to the energy transition rely on copper. Here are the world's largest copper producers.

How EV Adoption Will Impact Oil Consumption (2015-2025P)

Mapped: 10 Countries With The Lowest Internet Adoption Rates

Ranked: The World's Top 50 Endowment Funds

Comparing Population Pyramids Around the World

Charting the Rise of America's Debt Ceiling

Ranked: The 20 Most Air-Polluted Cities on Earth

Ranked: The Cities with the Most Skyscrapers in 2023

Ranked: America's Largest Semiconductor Companies