According to IEA’s latest report, the price of Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries was heavily impacted by the surge in battery mineral prices over the past two years, primarily due to the increased cost of lithium, its critical mineral component.
Decreased lithium prices have had much more of an impact on LFP batteries. Lithium carbonate comprised 89.4% of total raw material costs for LFP cathodes and lithium hydroxide made up 62.9% of raw material costs for NMC-811 cathodes in 2023, according to Commodity Insights data.
Lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries rely on lithium more, and thus stand to benefit from an overabundance of the silvery metal that developed over the past year.
Source: S&P Global Market Intelligence Lithium prices fell after peaking at over $79,637 per ton in December 2022, driven by surging demand for EVs. Despite starting the year near record highs, prices dropped as overcapacity in battery production, particularly lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, began to impact the market.
A broad drop in battery metal prices decreased the overall cost of the average battery pack by about 30% year over year in 2023, Commodity Insights analysts said in a January report. Decreased lithium prices have had much more of an impact on LFP batteries.
Prices for lithium, nickel and cobalt sharply decreased in 2023 and are expected to decline further in 2024. The drop has further decreased the cost of lithium-iron-phosphate batteries for electric-vehicle makers. Source: Witthaya Prasongsin/Moment via Getty Images.