The cathode materials market for EVs: trends, challenges, & solutions

Cobalt-free cathodes are being developed rapidly. While they still haven’t reached the energy density of the most used NMC cathodes, some OEMs have already switched to compositions like LFP in new EVs, cutting the costs of raw materials and reducing the risk of cobalt shortages. In fact, this has already contributed to the reduction of cobalt prices to the pre-2021 level, ending another period of its volatility.

The cathode market for EVs is evolving, which raises several questions:

• What cathode chemistry will dominate the market in 2030?
• What’s the future of LNMO, and what applications can it be most useful for?
• Who are the key suppliers of cathode materials?
• How are the cathode and battery cell markets influenced by increasing competition on subsidies between the EU, the US and China?

COBRA's new market intelligence report aims to give answers to these questions. We present leading battery cathode chemistries, compare their properties, and analyse their market dynamics. Moreover, this edition's contributor Cerpotech (Ceramic Powder Technology AS), provides insights into advanced ceramic oxide powders, the key ingredient of cathodes. Production challenges are also presented alongside innovations that help to improve the performance of cobalt-free cathodes.

To read the full report click here.