Top 5 makes by lithium consumption in Europe and the Americas
Top 5 represent 53% of total
Adamas Intelligence data shows that a combined total of 408,214 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) were deployed onto roads globally last year in the batteries of all newly sold passenger EVs combined, a 40% increase over 2022.
Europe and the Americas made up 40% of the global total with deployment rising by a combined 38% year on year to 163,423 tonnes in 2023.
Across the three continents, Tesla took the top spot with 44,757 tonnes of LCE deployed across its S,3,X and Y model lineup, nearly as much as the next five makes combined and an increase of 34% over 2022.
Volkswagen came in second in the Americas and Europe, deploying 11,750 tonnes of LCE in 2023, up 39% year on year.
The third and fourth largest lithium consumers in 2023 were Mercedes and BMW with little separating the German luxury carmakers. Mercedes deployed 10,051 tonnes, an increase of 53% compared to 2022, while BMW’s LCE deployment rose 54% to 10,016 tonnes.
Rounding out the top 5 was Volvo with the Swedish marque, owned by China’s Geely since 2010, putting 1,168 tonnes of LCE onto roads across Europe and the Americas in its EVs sold last year, representing an expansion of 36% compared to 2022.
Lithium deployment is remarkably concentrated with the top 5 deploying a combined 86,543 tonnes LCE, representing 53% of overall lithium consumption in the regions in 2023.
Adamas take:
The amount of lithium contained in the average EV battery pack increased by 11% year-on-year in Europe and by 2% in the Americas.
At an average 23.0 kg of LCE per passenger vehicle in the Americas and 20.7 kg in Europe, lithium loadings in both regions now exceed the LCE used in the average EV sold in the Asia Pacific region as plug-in hybrids increase in popularity in the latter.
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