In addition to the period when electric vehicles have gradually become the mainstream, the transition to nickel rich batteries will become an important factor in the growth of nickel demand. The most important thing is that the driving range increases, which will require larger battery packs. So, in three ways, nickel is the winner.
According to a Forbes mid-year report, the nickel boom will resume as demand for steel and batteries increases, and there are clear signs of nickel brewing in the growing metal trade. New century zinc, a small Australian mining company, took a high-risk move by acquiring a loss making Goro project in New Caledonia on the Pacific island from vale, Brazil's largest mining company.
Not long ago, speculators were very active with nickel because they believed that the demand of battery manufacturers could quickly match that of stainless steel manufacturers, which was postponed due to the collapse in demand for electric vehicles (EV). However, the epidemic and the economic downturn and uncertainty caused by the epidemic have weakened consumer confidence, which has a negative impact on electric vehicle orders in the short term.
Battery chemistry is turning to high nickel chemistry. With the development of required technologies, high nickel chemistry will provide a larger driving range and reduce the demand for cobalt per battery. This type of battery provides higher density, driving a boom in the development of positive electrodes containing eight parts of nickel, one part of cobalt and one part of manganese, and the faster development is also driven by the soaring cobalt prices in 2017 and early 2018.
From NCM 111 to NCM 811 and nickel cobalt aluminum, the nickel content per cell will increase from about 33% to about 90 to 95%. In addition to the period when electric vehicles have gradually become the mainstream, the transition to nickel rich batteries will become an important factor in the growth of nickel demand. The most important thing is that the driving range increases, which will require larger battery packs. So, in three ways, nickel is the winner.
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