Asia Pacific now represents 79% of global lithium carbonate consumption
In the first quarter of 2025, a total of 123.3 kt of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) were deployed onto roads globally in the batteries of all types of newly sold passenger EVs, a sizeable 31% increase over 2024.
Of this total just over 62% or 76.8 kt was in the form of lithium carbonate whereas lithium hydroxide deployment fell just short of 38% at 46.5 kt over the first three months of the year.
Regionally, 59% of all lithium units deployed globally in Q1 were contained in the batteries of EVs sold in the Asia Pacific region after a 34% expansion over last year to 72.2 kt.
Europe’s 29.3 kt deployed, up 28% year over year, kept the continent’s global share constant at 24%, while representation of the Americas declined to 15% and the Middle East and Africa’s proportion rose to slightly above 2%.
Year-on-year growth in the Americas, where the US and Canada represents upwards of nine tenths of the market, lagged other regions at less than 22% after deployment of 19.0 kt of LCE during the period.
Asia Pacific drove 79% of global lithium carbonate consumption in Q1 this year, up from 75% in Q1 2024. Carbonate kilotonnes deployed in the region surged by 41% to 60.5 kt, but lithium hydroxide growth was a tepid 4% during the period.
Europe fueled 14% of global lithium carbonate consumption last year and 24% of global hydroxide consumption. The Americas powered just 5% of global lithium carbonate last year and 20% of global hydroxide use, with the region’s contribution down on both counts.
The regional consumption patterns of lithium carbonate versus hydroxide correlate largely with the regional deployment patterns of cell chemistries in terms of total battery capacity deployed.
China’s outsized role in the global EV industry and the country’s increasing adoption of LFP batteries with the chemistry representing 67% of the total in the country in Q1 on a GWh basis, is driving carbonate use.
In Europe and the Americas combined, LFP’s share only reached double digit percentage points in GWh deployed terms this year whereas high-nickel ternary batteries, which mostly use lithium hydroxide during CAM synthesis, continue to dominate.
Note: Reported battery materials deployment constitutes installed terminal tonnes and does not take into account losses during conversion, refining, and manufacturing processes.
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