Is There Enough Titanium for EV Growth?

Written By Teacher: Teresa Pettitt-Kenney

Hi there! My name is Teresa and I just finished my Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science and am excited to pursue environmental education in the future! I am extremely passionate about climate change, equitable climate action, and how education can work to address these issues. 

Electric vehicles are an exciting topic to discuss in the classroom and can serve as a stepping stone to other climate change topics, like renewable energy or mineral use. Engage younger students with reading resources like this Electric Vehicles Reading Comprehension Activity, or lesson plans, such as the following: ELA Lesson: Air Pollution and Electric Vehicles. Secondary students can do their own research by checking out podcasts like It's Electric! (vehicles) and articles, such as Building Support for Electric Vehicles. If tricky questions about the resources for electric vehicles come up during these learning sessions, you can reference the article below for more information.

Written By: MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative

The MIT Climate Change Engagement Program, a part of MIT Climate HQ, provides the public with nonpartisan, easy-to-understand, and scientifically-grounded information on climate change and its solutions.

In car manufacturing, titanium is primarily used within the exhaust system of gasoline-powered vehicles and can be found in engine parts such as connection rods, engine valves, and alloy springs. In electric vehicle (EV) batteries, titanium is also used in lithium-titanium anodes which can charge and discharge quickly. They are key components in many EV batteries, and Tesla electric vehicles also have a titanium underbody shield that protects against battery fires.

Titanium is considered a critical mineral by the US Geological Society, but not because of its use in vehicles. Most titanium—about 95%—is made into titanium dioxide, a pigment that keeps anything from paints to plastics white. When it comes to vehicle production, there’s a strong market for titanium, but demands aren’t nearly as high as they are for other metals used in EV production, like cobalt and lithium, which are expected to have a 37-fold and 18-fold increase in demand, respectively, by 2030. One 2020 study evaluated supply risk for 52 mineral commodities that are critical to the US manufacturing sector and found that supply risk for titanium is fairly low, but economic vulnerability—which is a consequence of supply disruption—is much higher.