Things are not going well for the car manufacturers. First chip crisis, then supply problems as a result of the Ukraine war. International supply chains remain vulnerable. But that should only be the beginning of the problems for e-cars, says the boss of the car manufacturer Rivian.
Car manufacturers such as Volkswagen and Tesla have reached new heights in sales during the chip crisis – thanks to clever rationing. On the other hand, these are difficult times for the industry. The switch to e-cars should succeed, time is of the essence. At the same time, components are missing, factories have to be closed, and even raw materials could become scarce.
Rivian boss warns: Battery crisis will hit e-cars hard
Especially the latter should become a real problem for the triumph of e-cars, expects Robert Scaringe, known as RJ, founder and boss of the electric car manufacturer Rivian. The brand has so far offered its Stromer in the USA, where it sees itself as a Tesla competitor. The European market will follow soon.
However, it is likely to become increasingly difficult to get to the crucial component for electric cars: the battery. “Semiconductors are a small taste of what’s to come in battery cells over the next two decades,” said Scaringe during a factory tour (source: The Wall Street Journal via Business Insider).
Global battery production is currently reaching not even 10 percent of what you will need in the next 10 years, the CEO continued. 90 to 95 percent of the entire value chain does not yet exist. For e-car manufacturers, who – along with other industries – are absolutely dependent on the batteries, this is a severe blow. But not an unexpected one.
VW, Tesla, Toyota: Manufacturers rely on in-house production
It is no coincidence that Tesla has been on the market for years own batteries. Batteries for Tesla vehicles are also to be built at the newly opened German Gigafactory. Traditional manufacturers such as VW and Toyota have meanwhile taken the same path. At VW, the focus is also on their own software.
Is the next crisis in the starting blocks? There are many reasons why it would be better to switch to an e-car today:
But building new battery factories takes time. There is currently much to suggest that Car buyers have to get used to longer delivery times, order stops and probably also higher prices. Car pope Ferdinand Dudenhöffer had also warned of future bottlenecks in battery supply.