Electric cars.

Possibly extracted from the report from Australia.

"Australia, which mined about half the world’s lithium in 2022, forecasts the spot price of spodumene will fall to $2,200 per tonne in 2025 from an estimated average of $3,840 per tonne last year, according to a quarterly report by the country’s Department of Industry, Science and Resources issued last month."

The extract above may not be the true future picture but is currently correct about market prices. Extraction has slowed but is expected to pick up again in a few years time. Demand has recently been lower. If they use typical market forces techniques then lower production should correct the drop in price somewhat.

 

China will continue to mine regardless as they're ensuring they maintain market share / dominance

 

Which leads neatly on to this...
Post-Brexit watchdog ‘ready’ to investigate flood of cheaper Chinese electric cars

 

I thought this amusing...

 

If we all drove EVs and someone had the idea of an internal combustion powered car I would think they were mad. Driving something with several gallons of highly flammable liquid slopping around a tank that could easily be punctured in a crash. The idea that an engine could be powered by hundreds of mini explosions every minute that pushed pistons, connected to a crankshaft, then a very complex set of gears because it only has torque in a certain range seems unworkable. None of it would seem feasible. Then add on all the unreliable electronics to open and close mechanical valves to cut down power so you can drive through cities without getting fined!

We have only got to the position where conventional cars work through decades of development. It wasn't long ago they shook themselves apart or rusted away in short time. Plus they were unaffordable to my grandparents generation, only the rich had them.

 

I genuinely think the best option we have for the next decade (at least) is for improvement in emission levels from ICE vehicles. I don't see EV as viable in any way. Government is attempting running before walking

 

Also thinking about refuelling how crazy to have to drive to a purpose built station to waste 10 minutes pumping flammable liquid from one tank to another. That's if the station doesn't have long queues or runs out.


Much easier to plug in when home with no waiting about.

 

Well they've gone from the first fully leaded gas guzzling machine to much more recent ULEZ -compliant engines so along those pathways I would think
Not a magic wand, small incremental improvements.

 

I think we have gone too far already. ICE vehicles have become so complicated that they reach end of life after 80k, repair costs are ridiculous when anything goes wrong with all the engine management computers and sensors and garages seem incapable of diagnosing what is at fault.