“The transition to electromobility is affecting the global demand for raw materials. This raises the question of whether Europe can currently ensure this new mobility independently of third countries.
An electric car is essentially made of the same raw materials as a car with an internal combustion engine; in the VW ID.7 Tourer example, 43% steel and 15% plastic. These materials have been processed and increasingly recycled in Europe for decades. Germany is the largest steel producer in the EU, followed by Italy, France and Spain. So this would not be a problem. The use of aluminum becomes more complex; about 17% of a modern mid-range electric car is made of it.
Processing depends on bauxite mining in Guinea or Australia, and further processing is dominated by China. European deposits are located in Greece, France and Spain, but they are not enough to meet demand.
Electric cars also require special materials for the battery, the engine and the electronics, which account for 15-20% of the total vehicle weight.
This is where Europe's dependency is evident. It is important to distinguish between resources – the theoretically exploitable deposits – and reserves – the quantities currently economically mined. Lithium, the white gold of the energy transition, is essential for batteries. This market is dominated by Australia, Chile and China. Europe has deposits in Serbia, Austria, the Iberian Peninsula and the Upper Rhine, but these resources remain unexploited because mining is technically difficult or legally controversial.
The key raw materials such as graphite, nickel, manganese and cobalt, which are essential for the performance and stability of batteries, are also only available in small quantities in Europe, making imports important and appropriate. The main supplier countries are China (graphite), Indonesia (nickel), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (cobalt) and South Africa (manganese). Even if the EU could rely on its own production, it would still need lack their own chemical recycling infrastructure. This is also mainly happening in third countries.
The situation is even more critical with rare earth elements, which are needed for permanent magnets in electric motors. China controls mining and refining. Although Europe has geological deposits, for example in Sweden or Greenland, the industrial value chain does not provide market-ready magnets for production.
In 2020, the EU launched the European Raw Materials Alliance, an initiative to secure critical raw materials and advanced materials for European industry. Its main objective is to reduce dependence on third countries and increase security of supply. Geopolitical uncertainty underlines the importance of establishing and developing recycling infrastructure in Europe. Recycling facilities for used batteries are being built in Salzburg, Scandinavia and France. In the medium term, it is estimated that 30-40% of the demand for raw materials can be met by 2030. This assumes that there are enough batteries to recycle. However, this will likely take several more years.
In the short term In the period up to 2030, independent production of electric cars is unlikely to be possible. For now, Europe will remain dependent on imports, especially for refined petroleum, rare earth elements, critical raw materials and battery cells. There is a lack of sufficient production volumes and a complete industrial chain. The long-term perspective would be different. This would require significant investments in mines, refineries, processing facilities, semiconductor and cell production and alternative drive technologies without rare earth elements. However, Europe should be prepared to bear the ecological, economic and social costs.” [1]
1. Längst nicht autonom: Ohne Rohstoffimporte keine E-Autos aus Europa. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung; Frankfurt. 02 Sep 2025: T1. JOSHUA HILDEBRAND
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