Battery materials
Overview
Growth in global electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) production has put a spotlight on battery materials. While lithium-ion batteries dominate the current market, this is a rapidly emerging technology space where improved range or charge times can quicky shift industry sentiment and investment in a different direction.
Argus is at the forefront of battery materials pricing and reporting with coverage of common battery metals (lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite), industry-grade cathodes and black mass. As experts in specialty metals and rare earths, we future-proof our price assessment portfolio with a range of electronic metals crucial to the manufacture of technology deployed in modern vehicles.
Our Argus Battery Materials and Argus Non-Ferrous Markets services help businesses to understand these complicated supply chains, including price volatility and sustainability challenges around future demand.
Minor metals: Battery metals
As automakers continue to invest in electric vehicle production and power companies explore infrastructure that includes energy storage programmes, the metals contained in lithium-ion batteries supporting these products has attracted interest from investors, institutions and manufacturers alike.
Argus is well positioned to provide insight into price volatility, global supply and responsible material sourcing for all manufacturers and investors in this sector.
Highlights of Argus battery materials coverage
- Understand the context of significant price movements and industry trends with a weekly PDF that highlights the most important market news across lithium, cobalt, graphite, nickel and other common battery materials
- Mitigate risk and perform reliable forward planning with 1-year and 10-year forecasts across different battery metals, chemistries and industries
- Gain a competitive edge with industry-specific tools, such as the Black Mass Calculator that estimates the intrinsic value of different battery chemistries (including cathodes like NCM111, NCM523, LFP, NCA)
- Invest with confidence knowing Argus is IOSCO-compliant with over 50 years of experience delivering trusted price data and market intelligence
Stay ahead of the battery material markets
To be informed of relevant content, sign up to Argus Battery Materials Market Highlights. Each newsletter issue provides key prices, selected news, downloadable insight papers, podcasts, and on-demand videos across all major battery raw materials. Our coverage spans lithium, cobalt, nickel, and more, enabling you to explore end-to-end the battery metals and EV industries.
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US 'shovel ready' on Brazil rare earths: Panel
US 'shovel ready' on Brazil rare earths: Panel
Sao Paulo, 10 June (Argus) — The US wants to work in "warp speed" to secure Brazil's rare earths and other critical minerals, a panelist familiar with White House operations said at a market event in the country's capital Brasilia yesterday. The US is "shovel ready" to deepen its partnership with Brazil, specially regarding rare earth elements, said Eurasia Group managing director for the Americas Christopher Garman, during a critical minerals seminar held by Brazil's mining institute Ibram. The White House had — according to the panelist — identified Brazil and Malaysia as possible partners on rare earths because their reserves are mostly found in ionic clay, which is easier to process than other deposits. The US selected Brazil, Garman said, as shown by actions including the $2.8bn acquisition of Brazilian heavy rare earth producer Serra Verde, which followed $560mn in financing for Serra Verde and for soon-to-be producer Aclara Resources . "Donald Trump will continue to view Brazil pragmatically because of the value of its mineral assets," Garman said. He added that neither the newly reimposed US tariffs on Brazil nor the recent classification of local organised crime groups as terrorists signals a change in Trump's stance towards Brasilia. "They were parallel decisions that were being worked on for a long time." Mauricio Lyrio, a former ambassador and Brazil's current secretary for climate, energy and environment, agreed. "We are seeing geopolitics dictate most decisions related to Brazilian critical minerals," Lyrio said at the same panel, noting that Brazil's mineral assets gain value when conflicts and geopolitical issues arise elsewhere because of its good relations with every UN nation. "Brazil can seal cooperation agreements on every mineral with every country, which is key in this day and age." Both panelists said the quality of Brazil's critical mineral reserves and its technical mining expertise give the country an advantage in negotiations, but time is crucial. Brazil holds the world's second-largest rare earth reserves, but produced less than 1pc of the total global output. "Brazil has a massive opportunity in front of itself, but we need to have a very strong sense of urgency in order to capitalize on it," Lyrio said. "Brazil needs to dictate the terms, not react to other people's will." By Pedro Consoli Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
EU committee mulls revised CO2 targets for cars, vans
EU committee mulls revised CO2 targets for cars, vans
Brussels, 2 June (Argus) — The European Parliament's environment committee today debated amending the EU's CO2 standards for passenger cars and vans to allow new vehicles powered exclusively by alternative fuels to be reclassified as zero-emission vehicles. The new vehicle category, proposed by Italian lawmaker Massimiliano Salini, received support from conservative and right-wing members. It would address a "flaw" in the current regulation, Salini said. EU law currently only allows for the sale of electric vehicles (EVs) as zero-emission from 2030 due to tailpipe approach to emissions. The alternative-fuel category would not normally achieve zero tailpipe emissions, Salini told the committee. "But they do ensure a carbon-neutral balance overall", he said. Centre-right EPP group member Salini's draft report aims also to raise the share of biofuels and e-fuels that carmakers can count towards fleet-wide CO2 reduction targets, increasing the limit from 3pc to 10pc. The text maintains low-carbon steel credits at up to 7pc. The environment committee is aiming to vote on its position on 4-5 November. Committee agreement typically requires support from the EPP group, the largest political group in parliament. "The EPP's intention is to find the majority in the centre," said German lawmaker Peter Liese, while noting that the "ban" on new car sales with internal combustion engines (ICE) from 2035 must be "abolished". "That must be the starting point of all negotiations," Liese said. Liese also called for e-fuels and biofuels to play a greater role. "It's true they are not 100pc climate neutral. But their contribution must be accepted as far as they are climate neutral," he said. "We need more technological neutrality," said Czech ECR conservative Alexandr Vondra, adding that targets for carmakers should be more "realistic". Vondra welcomed suggested amendments to cut the 2035 fleet-wide emissions-reduction targets for new light commercial vehicles from 100pc to 80pc. German Greens lawmaker Michael Bloss said high fuel prices are driving faster EV uptake , while ICE sales are falling. Bloss argued Salini's suggested flexibilities would lead to less investment. Bloss urged the committee to form compromises on the details around centre political groups. However, he said Salini's report seeks a right-wing majority. Passenger cars and vans are responsible for around 16pc and 3pc of the EU's total CO2 emissions, according to the European Commission. The EU has a net zero target for 2050, with interim targets of 55pc greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions for 2030 and a net GHG cut of 90pc for 2040, both from a 1990 baseline. By Dafydd ab Iago Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
BEV sales outpace PHEVs across Europe in April
BEV sales outpace PHEVs across Europe in April
London, 27 May (Argus) — Battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales strengthened across Europe's main markets in April, pulling further ahead of plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and widening the gap with overall car demand growth. Germany and France remained central to that shift, both lifting their BEV share to 26 pc, up from below 20pc a year earlier, while PHEV shares were broadly flat. Denmark reached 82pc BEV share, far above any other major market, underlining how strongly tax rules can skew uptake (see graph) . Elsewhere, the move is clearer in direction than in scale. Italy almost doubled its BEV share to 9pc, but still leans heavily on PHEVs and hybrids, while Belgium and the Netherlands both pushed BEVs into the high 30pc range. In each case, BEVs gained share faster than PHEVs, which either stagnated or declined, notably in Belgium and Denmark, where PHEV shares halved or more. That divergence reflects a broader pattern this year, whereby BEV numbers are scaling where policy and fleet rules favour them, while PHEVs move in line with tax changes and compliance needs rather than steady demand. The unevenness across countries echoes the stop-start dynamic already visible across global EV markets, where demand remains tied closely to incentives . Total sales and combustion engines show a weaker trend. Overall registrations were flat to modestly higher across most markets, while petrol and diesel vehicles continued to fall, but without matching the pace of BEV gains. German carmaker Volkswagen Group held the largest share with modest growth (see graph) , while Stellantis expanded faster on the month. That aligns with Stellantis' push into lower-cost EVs through its partnership with Chinese start-up Leapmotor , which is moving into scaled production and European distribution. Chinese carmakers continue to post the fastest gains in Europe. BYD more than doubled April volumes, while SAIC and Chery also expanded rapidly in the low-cost segments. Some legacy firms are falling back as a result. US carmaker Ford and Japan's Nissan both reported declining sales, while others such as French carmaker Renault Group and South Korea's Hyundai Motor Group also slipped on the month. Performance now rests on who can build and sell enough low-cost models, not just who offers BEVs, with firms lacking scale or competitive pricing losing market share despite electrifying their line-ups. By Chris Welch Europe new car sales by powertrain, with yoy growth pc Europe new car sales by carmaker, Apr-26 Europe new car sales by country, Apr-26 pc Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Korea’s Ecopro signs Li hydroxide automaker supply deal
Korea’s Ecopro signs Li hydroxide automaker supply deal
Singapore, 25 May (Argus) — Major South Korean lithium-ion battery cathode active material and lithium hydroxide manufacturer EcoPro's lithium arm Ecopro Innovation has signed its first direct lithium hydroxide supply contract with an automaker. Ecopro Innovation will supply 12,000t of lithium hydroxide over a four-year period to an undisclosed "global automaker", said the company on 22 May. Its production base in Hungary's Debrecen likely played a part in it winning the contract, the firm added, citing its ability to comply with the EU's Critical Raw Materials Act . The act came into force in May 2024 to ensure the bloc's access to "secure, diversified, affordable and sustainable" supply of critical raw materials, and it pushes for at least 10pc of critical materials sourced domestically and 40pc transformed locally by 2030. Ecopro completed the construction of its Hungarian plant late last year. The plant is capable of producing 54,000 t/yr of cathode materials and 8,000 t/yr of lithium hydroxide. The firm has plans to double the site's cathode materials production capacity to 108,000 t/yr. The firm in April said full-scale cathode material production at the site is expected to begin in April-June, and it is aiming to secure European customers. By Joseph Ho Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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