What are electric car batteries made of?

What goes straight in

• Lithium-ion cellat Sort matched cells
• Adhesiveat Stack and compress modules
• Copperat Weld the busbars
• Aluminumat Weld the busbars
• Printed circuit boardat Fit cooling and electronics
• Steelat Seal the housing

From the ground: 28 raw materials

• Water through copper
• Copper ore through copper
• Air through copper
• Crude oil through aluminum
• Coal through aluminum
• Lithium brine through lithium-ion cell, lithium carbonate
• Spodumene through lithium-ion cell, lithium carbonate
• Cobalt ore through lithium-ion cell, cobalt
• Nickel ore through lithium-ion cell, nickel
• Manganese ore through steel, manganese
• Iron ore through steel, manganese
• Natural gas through steel, manganese
• Sulfur through copper, sulfuric acid
• Bauxite through aluminum, alumina
• Silica sand through printed circuit board, fiberglass
• Limestone through printed circuit board, fiberglass
• Dolomite through steel, magnesium
• Rock salt through lithium-ion cell, lithium carbonate, soda ash
• Trona through lithium-ion cell, lithium carbonate, soda ash
• Tin ore through printed circuit board, solder, tin
• Lead ore through printed circuit board, solder, silver
• Silver ore through printed circuit board, solder, silver
• Zinc ore through printed circuit board, solder, silver
• Quartz through steel, magnesium, metallurgical silicon
• Timber through steel, magnesium, metallurgical silicon
• Corn through lithium-ion cell, lithium carbonate, soda ash, carbon dioxide
• Sugarcane through lithium-ion cell, lithium carbonate, soda ash, carbon dioxide, baker's yeast, molasses
• Sugar beet through lithium-ion cell, lithium carbonate, soda ash, carbon dioxide, baker's yeast, molasses

Made along the way: 49 things

Metals 13

Chemicals and fuels 25

Plastics and fibers 6

Electronics 3

Food 2