Li-Ion Battery Cost Breakdown
Posted by Max Dunn Sat, 05 Feb 2011 03:58:00 GMT
It would seem obvious that lithium is the most expensive part of a li-ion battery. However, it turns out that lithium contributes only 10% to 14% of the battery cost, while the separator is responsible for 40% to 60%! Here is the breakdown of how each material in a li-ion battery contributes to its overall cost:
- Anode: Made from carbon, 5% to 15%
- Cathode: A metal oxide, 5% to 11%
- Electrolyte: A lithium salt in an organic solvent, 10% to 14%
- Separator: Made from polyolefin, 40% to 60%
It is very surprising that the plastic polyolefin is the most expensive part of a li-ion battery!
(From the Pike Research blog post Lithium-Ion Battery Materials: Japan Dominates in the EV Era