Canada, the United States and other countries have set aggressive goals with short deadlines in their mandates for electric vehicles. But, according to a new report by the Fraser Institute, the sudden transition to EVs will require a significant increase in mining, which raises doubt on whether these mandates can be met on time.
According to a press release by the Fraser Institute, in Canada, all new passenger vehicles and light trucks sold must be zero-emission by 2035; in the United States, 50% of all new passenger cars and light trucks must be zero-emission by 2030.
The enormous number of new EVs will require 388 new mines to supply the necessary metals and minerals, including nickel and lithium, to ramp up production, according to the press release.
“The sheer scale of mining required to meet EV mandates raises serious questions about the timelines being imposed by governments,” said Kenneth Green, senior fellow at the Fraser Institute and author of the report, titled “Can Metal Mining Match the Speed of the Planned Electric Vehicle Transition?”
Per the press release, opening new mines and getting them to the production phase can take years. For lithium, production can take six to nine years; for nickel, 13 to 18 years.
“The significant risk of inadequate mineral and metal production threatens the viability and realism of government-mandated EV transition plans,” said Green.
