Thread by @MikeMobbs

1/ The best place on @Twitter to learn about energy related topics is @Mining_Atoms. But in this thread, I will specifically dive into @Tesla’s battery supply chain.
The results are surprising. I love driving a Tesla, but am I impacting the environment in a positive way?

2/ The key determinant of cost for any EV is the battery itself. From 2010 to 2021, the cost of a lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery fell from $1,200 per kWh to $132 kWh
Breaking Down the Cost of an EV Battery Cell (visualcapitalist.com)

3/ Tesla EV batteries: Graphite, Aluminum, Nickel, Copper, Steel, Cobalt, Manganese, Lithium, and Iron. Dominant manufacturer: #China - 56% of global market, then #Korea - 26%, #Japan - 10% and 8% from other countries.
e-vehicleinfo.com/global/ev-batt…

4/ @Tesla dominates the US EV mkt (for now) with 68% of the US mkt as more rivals enter. Battery cells for the Model 3 are manufactured by @panasonic in the US - Tesla makes the battery modules and packs. Batteries for the Models X/Y are made in #Japan.
usitc.gov/staff_publicat…

5/ Individual battery cells are manufactured by 4 main producers: @panasonic, @LGChemSS, @catl_official , and Tesla itself. They are shipped to the US and assembled into Modules and Packs at the @GigaNevada or in California.

6/ As a result, Tesla’s battery cell supply chain is diverse and complex. Each raw material is mined throughout the world before it arrives at a battery cell factory in #China, #Korea, #Japan, or the US

7/ The Democratic Republic of Congo mines over half of world's supply of Cobalt before it is shipped to China and refined into a usable product. Due to worldwide demand and scarcity, there could be a 20% gap between supply and demand for Cobalt by 2025
usitc.gov/publications/3…

8/ the United Nations Children’s Fund (@UNICEF) estimated that that 40,000 Congolese children work in #DRCongo cobalt mines, 20% of which is mined by hand. Reporters found that children as young as 4 are made separate cobalt from piles
cbsnews.com/news/cobalt-ch…

9/ Cobalt is then shipped around the world on container ships that can consume 63,000 gallons of marine fuel per day. It takes roughly 10-15 days for ships to make this transit, consuming 630k - 945k gallons of fuel

10/ Nearly 2/3 of all Graphite is mined in China, w/ demand increasing from 80k to 250k metric tons over the past 5 years. China’s BTR produces 75% of all demand for graphite. The process of mining graphite pollutes the air and water, and damages crops
washingtonpost.com/graphics/busin…

11/ Li-ion batteries consume 14% of all lithium produced in 2015 and are projected to consume 38% of Lithium by 2025. As a result, lithium prices have skyrocketed. Chile and Argentina are the top global exporters of lithium carbonate

12/ Lithium mines consume a tremendous amount of water and energy, and mining companies have been in and out of courts disputing the environmental impact. Additionally, estimates project that there will not be enough lithium for most EV makers past 2030
trtworld.com/business/chile…

14/ @Tesla gets most of its #Nickel from #Australia and #China. These mines produce sulphur dioxide gas and cancerous dust and communities near these mines and refineries report increased rates of deformities and raspatory disease
theguardian.com/sustainable-bu…

15/ Between raw material cost increases and pressure from environmentalists, Tesla is trying to move away from Cobalt and Nickle. In Q1 2022, Tesla reported that half of their vehicles were Cobalt and Nickle free
thedriven.io/2022/05/06/tes…

16/ Tesla is also in the process of inking agreements with sources for all battery materials outside of #China. For example, starting in 2025 they will source their graphite from Mozambique through @SyrahResources
cnbc.com/amp/2022/01/17…

17/ Using 2017 data, the cost of a Tesla Model 3 battery was $9,500. The cost of materials alone was $4,725. After shipping, manufacturing, depreciation – that’s still a healthy mark up. A base Model 3 will set you back $46,990. Is it worth it?

18/ Gasoline prices and electricity prices vary state to state, and sometimes within a state there is a lot of variability. Given that nationwide gas prices are high relative to electricity prices, this comparison assumes $5 per gallon and $0.07 per kWh 👇🏼:

19/ None of this accounts for the highly problematic human and environmental toll that result from the extraction of the raw materials required for a Li-ion battery. While new battery designs in the future may make some of these materials obsolete, we’re just not there yet