Lithium use in PHEV batteries up 65% year-over-year    

In 2024, 504,372 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) were deployed onto roads globally in the batteries of EVs sold over the course of the year, representing a 23% (or nearly 95,000 tonne) increase over 2023.

Specifically, a total of 410,544 tonnes of LCE were deployed onto roads last year in battery electric vehicles (BEVs), up 16% year-over-year.

Lithium use in plug-in hybrid (PHEV) packs totaled 90,958 tonnes, a massive 65% increase over 2023 as unit sales and LCE loading per unit surged in tandem.

Lastly, 2,870 tonnes of LCE were deployed in the batteries of conventional hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) last year, up an impressive 27% year-over-year.

The jump in lithium deployment in HEVs last year reflects the ongoing adoption of lithium-ion batteries in HEVs in place of legacy nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) power packs, although on a GWh deployed basis, the latter still represented 50% of the market in 2024.

Overall, sales weighted average lithium use per EV declined by 1% last year to 20.7 kg reflecting changes in the EV sales and battery chemistry mix.

For PHEVs, now representing 18% of total lithium deployment globally, up from 13% in 2023, the average unit sold last year contained 14.2 kg of LCE, 9% more than the year prior.

The trend towards bigger PHEV batteries, and by extension more lithium contained, is most noticeable in the Asia Pacific region. 

The average PHEV sold in the region last year hosted a 25.5 kWh pack containing 15.3 kg of LCE. versus 16.9 kWh and 11.0 kg of LCE in the Americas.

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