Turning Points for
Battery Metal Markets

Global passenger plug-in electric vehicle, or PEV, sales rose 43% in 2020 despite a 15% decline in overall car sales. The exceptional performance for PEV sales is a result of tighter vehicle emissions regulation in the European Union and more affordable PEV model offerings in China — factors that will keep driving future growth in global PEV sales. Development in the U.S. PEV market has lagged other regions to date, however, President Joe Biden’s administration boasts the potential for greater policy incentives accelerating PEV uptake.

While battery metals demand will be supported by PEV sales momentum, supply-side dynamics remain crucial in determining price movements. The lithium, cobalt and nickel markets have reached their respective turning points as a consequence of supply-side factors unique to each. Lithium prices are bottoming out following production curtailments and capex delays over the last two years; the cobalt market is likely to finally recover from COVID-19-induced supply-chain disruptions; and investor hype toward nickel has been depressed by recent news that China’s Tsingshan Holding Group plans to produce nickel matte for the PEV battery sector.

Join our webinar to understand the key dynamics and drivers of the market outlooks for lithium, cobalt and nickel. Here we will address the following:

• The outlook for PEV sales and battery chemistry mix.
• Will there be enough battery metals supply to meet demand?
• Battery metals costs and implications for supply developments.
• Financing trends.
• Battery metals price forecasts.