Li-ion batteries (LIB) are a part of everyday life. First commercialised by Sony in 1990, they are now ubiquitous in consumer electronics. Demand has been driven by these markets for the past few decades but this has now changed. The pressing issues of climate change, air quality and energy security have accelerated research into energy storage, for both electricity grids and electric vehicles (EVs).

 

While the fundamental components of the LIB have remained similar, continuous development and diversification of the technology means we have seen significant performance gains in Li-ion performance, though not as fast as is perhaps necessary or desired. Performance improvements are still required to improve range, cost and recharge time of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and various avenues are being pursued.

 

The report provides an analysis of the major technological developments being developed by manufacturers, for example, the routes being taken to stabilise silicon anodes and high-nickel cathodes. Silicon anodes have seen considerable interest over the past few years. Start-ups developing silicon dominant anodes have received hundreds of millions of dollars in funding since 2010, with the amount invested jumping 340% from 2018 to 2019.

 

While silicon has gained plenty of attention, graphite is still the dominant anode of today's Li-ion batteries, while lithium titanate (LTO) has numerous technological advantages. On the cathode side, much has been made of NMC 811 (nickel-manganese-cobalt oxide 811) and other high nickel cathodes. But commercialisation of this class of material has been slow and various other cathode materials exist. A comprehensive analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of graphite (synthetic and natural), silicon, LTO, NMC, NCA, LFP, LMO and LCO is provided along with the potential markets for these materials. This analysis feeds into IDTechEx's technology outlooks and forecasts, evaluating the evolving shares that different LIB chemistries and technologies will hold from 2020 to 2030. The report also provides analysis and commentary on the active material choices and strategies of various cell manufacturers.

 

The continuous improvements being made to Li-ion technology will make it increasingly difficult for alternative battery chemistries to gain market share, and highlights the importance of understanding the trends and developments being observed in Li-ion batteries, from cell materials (active and inactive) through to manufacturing innovations.

 

With a fast growing market comes increasing levels of investment and partnership. Comparing the level of production capacity announced for Europe from 2018 to 2020 provides a stark example. Despite the rush to build Li-ion capacity in Europe, >50% of cell production is both located in China and controlled by Chinese companies, highlighting the important role the country plays. The report compares production capability of various cell, cathode and anode manufacturers as well as examples of investment seen elsewhere. Despite this increased activity, various reports of battery shortages were announced by automotive OEMs in 2019 – IDTechEx provide commentary and analysis on the bottlenecks that may hinder the Li-ion market.

 

Forecasts are provided for the period 2020-2030 and are categorised by GWh, $bn, application, cathode type and anode type. Price forecasts are also provided coupled with a bottom-up analysis of cell costs and the impact material price volatility can have.

 

The report provides an in-depth and holistic view of the Li-ion technology and market and includes sections on:

 

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