Top 5 EV models globally by battery manganese deployed
In January 2025, a total of 5,316 tonnes of manganese (16,600 tonnes of MnSO4 equivalent) were deployed onto roads globally in the batteries of newly sold passenger EVs, 5% more than January 2024, according to Adamas Intelligence data.
In January this year, two models not available this time in 2024 – the Luxeed R7 and Aito M9 EREV – took the top two spots by manganese deployed onto roads.
The Luxeed R7, manufactured by China’s Geely in a joint venture with tech giant Huawei, is the clear number one at 273 tonnes.
The Luxeed R7 comes fitted with mid-nickel cells made by CALB or LMFP cells manufactured by CATL. Despite only being introduced in Q1 of last year, LMFP was already responsible for 2% of global manganese deployment onto roads in January of this year, boosted by the R7 and its stablemate sports sedan called the S7.
In second place was the Aito M9 EREV range extender plug-in hybrid with 125 tonnes of manganese deployed during the month. The upmarket Aito brand, owned by the Seres Group, is also a Huawei collaboration. The flagship six-seater SUV also comes in full-electric form.
In third, a combined 122 tonnes of manganese were contained in the batteries of long-time leader of the pack, the Tesla Model Y, in January 2025. The world’s best-selling EV in 2024 saw manganese deployment fall 8% year on year in January 2025, hurt by a drop off in sales in Germany and China.
Not only were sales impacted by the Chinese New Year falling in January this year, Model Y availability may also have been a factor as the automaker transitioned to deliveries of a refreshed version from March. China was the first country to open orders for the much-anticipated EV update.
In fourth, the Zeekr 01 also saw manganese deployment decrease in January, down 12% to 112 tonnes. Zeekr is a shooting brake style EV in the expansive Geely stable sporting a mid-nickel battery pack with cells from CATL.
In fifth, the Volkswagen ID.4, which is also set to receive a comprehensive refresh mid-year, upped its manganese deployment by 190% in January 2025 to 107 tonnes. Korean battery makers LG Energy Solution and SK On supply the high-nickel cells fitted to the German mid-size SUV.
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