This Week in Engineering

Copper, the Critical Material for Transportation Electrification


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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? 

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