Copper demand from electric vehicles to jump by 1.7 million tonnes by 2027 says a new infographic.
There’s 80% more copper in a Chevrolet Bolt in comparison to a similar-sized Volkswagen Golf says the UBS Evidence Lab in the U.S.
The major reason for this is that at the heart of every electric vehicle-or EV-is an electric motor built with copper, steel, and permanent magnets (rare earths). In an electric motor, for example, there can be more than a mile of copper wiring inside the stator.
The More Electric, The More Copper
According to International Copper Association research, copper use increases dramatically along the scale from gas-powered cars to fully electrical vehicles.
Conventional petrol-powered cars contain around 9 to 22 kgs of copper while a battery-powered EV contains something like 80kgs. A fully electrical bus on the other hand contains a whopping 400 kgs of copper!
With the rapidly increasing adoption of electric vehicles, copper will be an essential material for the coming electrification of all forms of ground transport and major driver of world copper use.
Take a look for yourself: http://www.visualcapitalist.com/how-much-copper-is-in-an-electric-vehicle/