Decarbonising Road Transport Beyond Mining-Intensive Pathways

The transition to electric mobility is an important component of decarbonising road transport. At the same time, the growing uptake of battery-electric passenger cars is increasing demand for critical raw materials such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese and copper. The extraction and processing of these materials are associated with environmental and social challenges, as well as supply chain dependencies. The study therefore examines how the demand for (primary) raw materials in electric mobility can be reduced in the European Union.

Based on a literature review and expert interviews, the authors identify and assess five key measures: battery recycling, smaller vehicles and batteries, improved energy efficiency, shifting travel from private cars to public transport, cycling and walking, and travel avoidance. The analysis considers both technical approaches to reducing material demand per vehicle and changes in mobility patterns that could reduce the long-term demand for new passenger cars.

The findings show that the measures examined offer substantial potential to reduce raw material demand. Recycling could reduce primary lithium and nickel demand by approximately 50% each and primary cobalt demand by up to 70% by 2040 (pp. 6, 13). Smaller vehicles and batteries, along with improvements in energy efficiency, could further reduce material requirements. Modal shift and travel avoidance also offer potential savings, although their realisation depends on changes in mobility services, travel behaviour and, over the longer term, vehicle fleet size..

The study examines which policy instruments at EU level could support these developments. These include, in particular, the EU Batteries Regulation, the Critical Raw Materials Act, regulations on vehicle size and energy consumption, and European funding instruments for sustainable mobility. The recommendations address, among other areas, expanding European recycling capacities, introducing requirements for energy-efficient vehicles, and providing targeted support for public transport and active mobility. The analysis also highlights that many measures aimed at modal shift and travel avoidance fall primarily within the responsibilities of Member States and regional and local authorities.

The study was prepared by Oeko-Institut Consult gGmbH on behalf of the Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations (SOMO), Seas At Risk and PowerShift.