2020 ‘turning point’ for Volkswagen EV sector with record sales

German carmaker Volkswagen Group delivered 212,000 electric cars in 2020, a 158% increase from a year earlier and a record high for the company despite a challenging market environment and an overall drop in sales due to the economic fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic, it said on Tuesday January 12.

The company reported total sales across all drive systems of around 5.328 million vehicles, a decline of 15% year on year.

Volkswagen launched nine new electric and plug-in hybrid models during 2020 and total deliveries of EV in Europe rose to 12.4% in 2020 compared with 2.3% in 209.

“2020 was a turning point for Volkswagen and marked a breakthrough in electric mobility,” Ralf Brandstatter, chief executive officer for Volkswagen’s passengers cars division, said.

Demand from the electric vehicle (EV) sector is rapidly increasing and appetite for lithium – a key ingredient in the manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries that power EVs – is growing.

Europe is set to become an increasingly important market for EV uptake, especially given European governments’ emphasis on green and sustainable infrastructure for the coming years.

Fastmarkets’ lithium hydroxide monohydrate 56.5% LiOH.H2O min, battery grade, spot price ddp Europe and US stood at $9-11 per kg on Thursday January 14, steady since early December 2020.

Market participants expect demand for lithium hydroxide to increase in the coming years, coinciding with the development of higher-performance batteries and vehicles with longer driving ranges.

What to read next
There was no relief for pulp buyers in March as prices for both the benchmark grades once again posted substantial gains. On top of a continuation of market dynamics that have been buoying prices since the start of the year, including low inventories, logistical issues and improving domestic demand, pulp sellers found additional support in […]
This consultation, which is open until May 23, 2024, seeks to ensure that our methodologies continue to reflect the physical market under indexation, in compliance with the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) Principles for Price Reporting Agencies (PRAs). This includes all elements of our pricing process, our price specifications and publication frequency. Fastmarkets FOEX […]
Fastmarkets will discontinue its lithium contract price assessments, effective October 2024.
Singapore-based lithium-ion battery recycling company Green Li-ion has launched its first commercial-scale installation to produce battery-grade cathode and anode materials from black mass and cathode powder – the first of its kind in North America
This development has led to a tightening market supply and bullish sentiment among traders, despite the immediate aftermath not showing a price hike
Read the full transcript from episode one of Fast Forward podcast with Andrea Hotter, where she interviews Helaina Matza, Special Coordinator for Global Infrastructure and Investment at the US Department of State