Are Manganese Batteries The Future Of EVs? Elon Musk Thinks So
Elon Musk says that manganese batteries have “potential” to drive the global green switch. Here are the pros and cons of using manganese.
Elon Musk suggested that manganese-based batteries have “potential” to be the solution to a global green switch. EVs, like almost everything else in technology, run on lithium batteries. The main problem with lithium batteries is that they are expensive, and use raw elements that are hard to come by and difficult to extract.
The self-proclaimed destiny of EVs is to dethrone fossil fuels and make an impact on climate change through zero emissions. To accomplish this, however, EVs need to be adopted by everyone, globally. While Europe, the US, and Asia have seen an increase in EVs on the streets, the percentage is still low. Furthermore, EVs are not even sold in many underdeveloped countries.
Elon Musk appears to see some potential in manganese-based batteries, as reported by Electrek. Speaking at a Tesla Gigafactory event in Berlin, Musk said that the industry needs to set its eyes further down the road, with a focus on the battery supply chain. Musk added that in order to scale production to meet the demand of a global switch to green vehicles “common materials” would be needed.
Manganese The Right Fit For The Job?
Manganese has several advantages over elements currently used in EV batteries, including the price. The cost of nickel reached a peak of $45,000 per kilo and stabilized at $30,000 this month. In contrast, manganese has only reached a price of $10,000 per ton and this is due to it being the twelfth most abundant element on the planet, according to Element 25. It is also heavily extracted to make steel, so the mining know-how is already well established.
While nickel and lithium are only found in some specific regions, manganese producers can be found on all continents. This prevents supply chains from being impacted due to regional disruptions like pandemics, wars, or political tensions. The downside is, a constant high-purity supply is needed to produce manganese batteries. If the quality of manganese varies, or is low, batteries might not meet the safety, durability, and performance levels required by the EV industry.
Tesla already uses some manganese chemistry in its Powerwall, an energy storage solution that is linked to the company’s solar panels and roofs. Countries in Asia are also using manganese for energy storage. According to Musk, the world is going to need 300 terawatt-hours of battery cell production to transition to a fully sustainable world, and it appears that elements like manganese might be the right fit for the job.