Copper, the Critical Material for Transportation Electrification

Lithium, cobalt, nickel and rare-earth elements have been studied extensively, as have the supply bottlenecks and predicted production shortages that have driven battery prices higher in electric vehicles. Rarely discussed, however, is a critical input for not only electric vehicle batteries but also for the entire electricity infrastructure: copper. According to a new report by S&P Global, supply shortages of the world’s most crucial metallic conductor may seriously hamper the net zero emissions target of 2050. Can the world produce enough copper to meet demand? Want to watch this podcast as a video? This Week in Engineering is available on engineering.com TV along with all of our other shows such as End of the Line, Designing the Future, Manufacturing the Future, and the Engineering Roundtable.