EV Transition Drives Global Copper Supply Crunch
Research consultant Vipin Benny warns that accelerating EV adoption has driven copper consumption from about 27,500 tonnes in 2015 to an estimated 1.28 million tonnes by 2025, while EV sales rose from 0.55 million to roughly 20 million units. Projected supply constraints could produce a structural deficit as early as 2026 (demand ~30 million tonnes vs supply ~28 million tonnes), risking higher EV costs and slower infrastructure rollout.
Key Points
- 1Shows copper demand surged from ~27,500 tonnes (2015) to over 1.28 million tonnes (2025 estimate)
- 2Highlights projected supply shortfall from 2026: demand ~30 million tonnes vs supply ~28 million tonnes
- 3Signals potential EV cost increases, charging delays, and urgent need for mining and recycling scale-up
Scoring Rationale
Strong industry-wide relevance with concrete deficit projections, limited by reliance on projected scenarios and single-author analysis.
Sources
Public references used for this report.
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