EV Batteries in Focus as Supplies Crunched
Reports point to emerging limitations of chain as demand, battery sizes grow.

The growing demand for EV supplies is pointing up limitations and how they’re affecting automakers’ ability to meet production targets and scale their EV business.
IMAGE: Pixabay/Photoman
As automakers work to ramp up electric-vehicle production and compete for market share in the growing segment, the EV battery supply chain is starting to show signs of unsustainable pressure, two new reports point out.
EV battery ranges have continued to increase, and battery-pack sizes to accommodate them, Bloomberg reported. Meanwhile, competing brands are jockeying for limited supplies and trying to qualify their models for government subsidies requiring certain amounts of domestic manufacture and sourcing, a race that’s starting to reveal supply line fractures, Business Insider said.
The growing demand for EV supplies is pointing up limitations and how they’re affecting automakers’ ability to meet production targets and scale their EV business. Business Insider pointed out that Ford, General Motors and Porsche complained of supply delays and constraints in their latest earnings reports.
Ford, for one, is still losing money on its EV unit, Model e, forecasting a $4.5 billion deficit this year, up by half from estimates early this year. It’s pivoting to increase hybrid model production.
Bloomberg reported that EVs’ average worldwide range jumped from 143 miles in 2018 to 210 miles in 2022, with U.S. numbers higher than that due to bigger models, longer driving distances, and the market dominance of Tesla, with its higher-range offerings. It said average lithium-ion battery pack sizes have consequently increased 10% each year of the same period to 60 kilowatt hours, and that more electric pickup models in the U.S. will further inflate the average here.
The growth in production and range amounts to added pressure on an already limited materials supply. The Biden administration has taken steps to increase EV production and sourcing in North America in order to curb greenhouse gas emissions and make the U.S. more independent of Chinese sources.
Originally posted on Auto Dealer Today
More Industry

EV Market Humming Along
July sales show steady growth as the segment stabilizes from last year’s artificial surge following pullback of federal support.
Read More →
EV Sales Recover in Q2
The EV sales roller coaster continues as numbers show improvement, but industry experts predict a year-over-year third-quarter decline and fourth-quarter jump.
Read More →
The Cheapest Hybrids to Fuel
The powertrain is increasing in popularity, in no small part due to its fuel economy. A new report lists the most efficient hybrids on the market.
Read More →
Hybrids and SUVs Gaining Ground
The most recent Kelley Blue Book Brand Watch found that only two nonluxury brands increased in shopper consideration, buoyed by their hybrid and SUV offerings.
Read More →
Dealership Profits Decline
While new and used retail sales stagnated, dealerships have been particularly supported by fixed operations and finance-and-insurance profits, according to a new report.
Read More →
New Mexico Stores Change Hands
Three dealerships owned by three brothers are renamed for a new partnership bridging the founders’ family and a new auto retail leader.
Read More →
International Automakers Overpower Domestic Output
As the current U.S. administration pushes for domestic automotive production, a new report sheds light on the prevalence of international automakers here.
Read More →
World EV Adoption Set to Grow
A new report says the segment, despite recent setbacks in some regions, is poised for acceleration as many countries look to reduce pollution.
Read More →
Black Book: Weekly Market Update
Wholesale automotive auction business stayed steady last week as bidders encountered lower prices, analysts observed.
Read More →
Pricing Transparency Drives Purchase Consideration
An annual study by JD Power found that clear pricing matters to consumers on automaker websites, so much so that it increases their purchase consideration.
Read More →