When will EVs grow from the current 2-3% of global car sales to 15 – 25%? When will they account for the super majority?
In a presentation to MINEX Europe 2019, Alexander Palkovsky, COO/CFO of Euro Lithium will argue that these questions must be broken down to traditional buyer considerations of any retail product: convenience and price. According to Mr. Palkovsky, we must answer the following:
1. When will the retail price of an EV match that of its internal-combustion engine (ICE) comparable, or, when will it be below (if ever)?
2. At what point is it as convenient for buyers to recharge an EV as quickly as they refuel an ICE (if ever), or, at the very least, when will EV charging stations become as frequent as gas stations (if ever)?
One must also consider the role of government in the deployment of EVs through the 2020s. How could this influence EV sales? Could we see the EU support EV sales as strongly as Germany’s support for renewable energy in the 2000s?
In his opinion, these questions must be considered if one is to answer when EV demand – and therefore the demand for lithium products (hydroxide, carbonate, metal) – picks up. Mr. Palkovsky will reference his professional experience in renewable energy, battery storage, market research, and lithium exploration and mine development to try and answer these questions.
Image by Michael Movchin / Felix Müller. Image source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Electric_Car_recharging.jpg. Image license: CC BY-SA 3.0.
