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Blog30 September 2026JOLT Redaktion

Raw Materials in EV Batteries: Lithium, Cobalt, Alternatives and Everything You Need to Know About LFP Batteries

Every electric car carries a small mine with it: lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, graphite, copper and aluminium. The raw materials used in an EV battery determine the price, range and charging behaviour of your vehicle. And a lot is changing in this area right now.

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LFP batteries contain neither cobalt nor nickel and now account for more than half of all new EV batteries worldwide. Sodium-ion batteries even do without lithium. Here are the most important facts at a glance.

Which raw materials are used in an EV battery?

Whether a battery requires cobalt and nickel depends on the cathode, the positive electrode of the cell. The anode is usually made of graphite. An example from Volkswagen published by the ADAC shows how the raw materials in an EV battery are distributed. It refers to a roughly 400-kilogram, nickel- and cobalt-containing 50 kWh battery (as of 2023):

Raw material

Amount (approx.)

Aluminium

126 kg

Graphite

71 kg

Nickel

41 kg

Copper

22 kg

Manganese

12 kg

Cobalt

9 kg

Lithium

8 kg

There are also electrolytes, plastics and steel.

Lithium in electric cars: indispensable, but with a volatile price

So far, almost nothing works without lithium in electric cars, because even an LFP battery is a lithium-ion battery. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), around 88% of lithium worldwide goes into batteries. The largest producing countries in 2025 were Australia, China and Chile. Prices fluctuate significantly: according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), lithium cost more than twice as much at the beginning of 2026 as it had a year earlier, but was still around 70% below its 2022 record.

Cobalt battery: why the cobalt content is falling

The term “cobalt battery” usually refers to nickel- and cobalt-containing cell chemistries such as NMC. Cobalt is considered the most problematic raw material used in batteries. According to the IEA, almost two-thirds comes from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where Amnesty International documented child labour in artisanal mining as early as 2016. Following an export ban by the Congo, the price of cobalt doubled within a year in 2025.

The industry is responding. According to the IEA, modern chemistries such as NMC811 contain only around 10% cobalt in their metal content, while LFP batteries contain none at all. For long-range vehicles, however, cobalt batteries remain in demand thanks to their higher energy density.

What is an LFP battery?

An LFP battery is a lithium-ion battery with a cathode made of lithium iron phosphate. Instead of nickel and cobalt, it uses iron and phosphate, which are significantly cheaper raw materials. This pays off: according to the IEA, LFP battery packs were on average more than 40% cheaper per kWh than NMC packs in 2025. Worldwide, LFP batteries accounted for more than 55% of all newly deployed EV batteries, while in the EU the figure is still significantly lower at just over 10%.

Advantages of LFP batteries

  • No cobalt, no nickel: fewer critical raw materials
  • Safe and durable: high thermal stability and long cycle life
  • Affordable: the key reason for their success in the mass market

Disadvantages of LFP batteries

  • Lower energy density: up to 205 Wh/kg compared with up to 265 Wh/kg for NMC
  • Sensitive to cold: without thermal management, charging performance drops significantly

How to charge an LFP battery correctly

The familiar 80% rule only applies to a limited extent here. Manufacturers such as Tesla, Ford and Mercedes-Benz recommend regularly charging LFP batteries to 100% so that the battery management system can accurately calculate the state of charge. For everyday use, this means:

  1. At home, regularly charge to full in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations, ideally shortly before departure
  2. At a fast charger, usually stop at around 80%, as the charging curve flattens significantly above this point
  3. In winter, use preconditioning, as a cold battery charges more slowly

Sodium-ion batteries: the lithium-free alternative

Sodium-ion batteries use sodium instead of lithium – the element found in table salt – and generally contain neither cobalt nor nickel. Their strength becomes particularly clear in cold conditions: according to the IEA, the latest generation retains around 90% of its capacity even at minus 40 degrees Celsius. However, it stores less energy. According to the IEA, a sodium-ion battery in an average SUV provides a range of up to 350 kilometres, while lithium-ion batteries can achieve 400 to 600 kilometres.

The technology is still a niche. Changan and CATL announced the Nevo A06 as the first mass-production car with a sodium-ion battery, with its market launch initially planned for mid-2026 in China. The IEA sees sodium-ion batteries being used primarily in small cars, light commercial vehicles for urban use and stationary storage systems.

Sodium-ion batteries, LFP batteries and NMC compared

Feature

LFP battery

NMC battery

Sodium-ion battery

Lithium

yes

yes

no

Cobalt

no

yes

no

Energy density (cell, max.)

approx. 205 Wh/kg

approx. 265 Wh/kg

approx. 175 Wh/kg

Strengths

Price, lifespan, safety

Range

Cold performance, raw materials

Second-life batteries: a second life as energy storage

When a battery is no longer fit enough for use in a car, according to the ADAC it usually still has 70 to 80% of its capacity. As a second-life battery, it can then continue working in stationary storage systems for another ten to twelve years because charging and discharging are much gentler there. BMW, for example, built a storage system in Leipzig in 2017 using 700 batteries from the i3. However, according to the IEA, second-life batteries are not an automatic success: warranty issues, uncertainty about remaining service life and falling prices for new batteries are slowing the market.

Our charging stations with integrated battery storage also demonstrate how battery storage can make electricity more flexible. You can read more in our article Bidirectional Charging: The EV as an Energy Store.

EV battery recycling: closing the loop

During EV battery recycling, the battery is dismantled and shredded. Lithium, nickel, cobalt and manganese are then chemically recovered from the resulting black mass. The EU Battery Regulation sets clear targets for this:

  • Lithium: 50% recovery by the end of 2027, 80% by the end of 2031
  • Cobalt, nickel and copper: 90% by the end of 2027, 95% by the end of 2031
  • Battery passport: mandatory for EV batteries from 18 February 2027

Mercedes-Benz opened its own recycling factory in Kuppenheim in October 2024, with an expected recovery rate of more than 96%. However, the IEA does not expect large volumes of end-of-life batteries until the mid-2030s, as most batteries will still be in use in vehicles until then.

What does this mean for you when charging?

Whether you have an LFP battery, an NMC battery or, in the future, a sodium-ion battery, you will charge fastest with a battery at the right temperature and a high-powered charging station. Our charging solutions deliver up to 320 kW of charging power and add around 200 km of range in approximately 10 minutes. Integrated battery storage enables ultra-fast charging without costly grid upgrades, and our locations are available 24/7. Ultimately, your vehicle determines how much power actually flows.

Are you planning a fleet with LFP batteries or, in the future, sodium-ion batteries? As a JOLT site partner, you provide the space, while we plan, finance and operate the charging station.

Conclusion: fewer critical raw materials, more circularity

The raw materials used in EV batteries are changing. LFP batteries have significantly reduced demand for cobalt in the mass market, while sodium-ion batteries show that it is even possible to do without lithium. Second-life batteries and EV battery recycling keep valuable metals in circulation. For you, that means: know your battery chemistry, charge it accordingly and use powerful fast chargers when it matters.

Find a JOLT charging station now and ultra-fast charge your LFP battery

Sources

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