In 2020, Tesla deployed 18,700 tonnes of LCE onto roads globally in the batteries of its newly sold passenger EVs, more than the next four EV makers (BYD, Volkswagen, Renault and Audi) combined, according to data from Adamas Intelligence’s EV Battery Capacity and Battery Metals Tracker.
In total, 67% of Tesla’s lithium consumption last year was ‘driven’ by the Model 3, 17% by the Model Y and the remaining 16% by the Model S and Model X, combined.
By region, 47% of Tesla’s lithium consumption in 2020 rolled onto roads in the Americas, 34% in the Asia Pacific region, 19% in Europe, and less than 1% elsewhere.
At the group level (rather than make), Tesla consumed more lithium than the next two groups combined, namely Volkswagen and BYD, respectively.
Lithium Hydroxide Leads the Charge but Lithium Carbonate Making Inroads
Through the first three quarters of 2020, 100% of Tesla’s lithium consumption was in the form of lithium hydroxide.
However, with the release of the made-in-China Model 3 Standard Range powered by LFP cells from CATL in the fourth quarter of 2020, this share dropped to 84%, according to Adamas Intelligence data.
