Auto makers question EV push amid battery costs and lithium shortage
BMW and Toyota doubt full electrification due to high battery costs, lithium scarcity, and low range; see the data fueling this skepticism.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Major automakers no longer fully back electric vehicles
Electromobility numbers speak volumes: late 2023 projected 190,000 electrified vehicles in Europe, but March registrations hit only 25,450, just 13.4% of the target. This gap has triggered caution among executives who, far from official propaganda, now question the model's viability.
Why are the giants pushing back?
BMW CEO Oliver Zipse called the transition "too fast." This is no isolated case: Toyota President Akio Toyoda also labeled the electric strategy "unrealistic," announcing a pivot to hybrids and hydrogen fuel cells. Criticism centers on three key issues: raw material scarcity (lithium, copper), grid capacity, and total ownership costs, particularly battery replacement, which costs between €15,000 and €22,000 according to specialized forums.
The numbers that raise alarms
- Urban energy consumption: 25-30 kWh per 100 km, translating to a real-world range of about 250 km under normal conditions.
- Battery replacement every 8-10 years adds costs that, combined with the vehicle price, often exceed the total cost of a traditional combustion engine car.
- In Norway, a traditional EV stronghold, sales have dropped in recent months, according to an El Confidencial article citing transport authority data.
What alternatives are being considered?
Toyota and Honda continue refining plug-in hybrids, capable of traveling 40-50 km on electric mode with much smaller, cheaper batteries. According to some engineers cited in the debate, one EV battery could produce up to ten low-cost hybrids. Other manufacturers, like Volkswagen, are exploring hydrogen for light fleets, though infrastructure remains limited.
Provisional conclusion
Lacking a comprehensive solution combining raw material availability, urban charging capacity, and competitive prices, industry leaders seem to be retreating to a mixed model. Regulatory pressure continues to drive electrification, but market logic, according to the data, remains unconvinced.
Most shared
Related forum discussions
Electromobility numbers speak volumes: late 2023 projected 190,000 electrified vehicles in Europe, but March registrations hit only 25,450, just 13.4% of the target. This gap has triggered caution among executives who, far from official propaganda, now question the model's viability.
Why are the giants pushing back?
BMW CEO Oliver Zipse called the transition "too fast." This is no isolated case: Toyota President Akio Toyoda also labeled the electric strategy "unrealistic," announcing a pivot to hybrids and hydrogen fuel cells. Criticism centers on three key issues: raw material scarcity (lithium, copper), grid capacity, and total ownership costs, particularly battery replacement, which costs between €15,000 and €22,000 according to specialized forums.
The numbers that raise alarms
- Urban energy consumption: 25-30 kWh per 100 km, translating to a real-world range of about 250 km under normal conditions.
- Battery replacement every 8-10 years adds costs that, combined with the vehicle price, often exceed the total cost of a traditional combustion engine car.
- In Norway, a traditional EV stronghold, sales have dropped in recent months, according to an El Confidencial article citing transport authority data.
What alternatives are being considered?
Toyota and Honda continue refining plug-in hybrids, capable of traveling 40-50 km on electric mode with much smaller, cheaper batteries. According to some engineers cited in the debate, one EV battery could produce up to ten low-cost hybrids. Other manufacturers, like Volkswagen, are exploring hydrogen for light fleets, though infrastructure remains limited.
Provisional conclusion
Lacking a comprehensive solution combining raw material availability, urban charging capacity, and competitive prices, industry leaders seem to be retreating to a mixed model. Regulatory pressure continues to drive electrification, but market logic, according to the data, remains unconvinced.
Most shared
Related forum discussions
- No electric cars are selling anymore !! · 2836 replies
- Brussels yields and will analyze if it is necessary to reverse course on electric cars · 261 replies
- Electric car NO!. Gasoline at €2 rules. · 955 replies
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (233 replies).
More summaries
-
Volkswagen announces 7.51 kWh/100 km for its most efficient electric vehicle
Volkswagen claims the most efficient EV with a consumption of 7.51 kWh/100 km. However, this record clashes with its ground clearance and the closures in Germany.
-
Vicente Fuentes: from a million views to 10,000 and a month without posting
From 700,000 subscribers to 10,000 views and a month without posting: the economic and personal ruin of YouTuber Vicente Fuentes.
-
Ceuta protests reveal electoral blame game
Protests held across Spain on September 2 supported Ceuta but sparked debate over voter responsibility and political motives.
-
Retiring in Paraguay: Tax Haven or Hidden Trap?
Paraguay offers low taxes for retirees, but double taxation treaties and healthcare issues complicate the dream.
-
Supermarket dining: €6.99 meals drive €3.75bn market
Carrefour offers two courses and a drink for €6.99, while Spain's ready-meal sector hit €3.75 billion in 2025, challenging traditional lunch menus.
-
Ex-Pentagon official urges recognizing Ceuta and Melilla as Moroccan
A former Pentagon official suggests, per EL ESPAÑOL, recognizing Spanish enclaves as occupied territory, without any official backing.