Battery cars’ metal shortage threat

14th November 2008

Lithium is used in many rechargeable packs, such as those in the Tesla Roadster. But experts say supplies of the metal could run low as soon as 2015. Experts have been studying the huge salt flats in China and South America, where lithium is sourced, to see whether there is enough to cope with the anticipated surge in demand, reports the China Car Times. With the growth rate for consumer electronics and battery-powered cars so high, they reckon that by 2015 there would only be enough left to run a total of 1.5 million cars!

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