Top Industries purchasing Lithium (Li)
Major Individual Company Purchasers
Caution: This content was sourced and arranged by AI and thus may be subject to errors, biases, omissions, or antiquation.
This information can provide a general sense of industry dynamics, but may be unreliable in its specifics, or as an isolated basis for investment decisions.
| Rank | Industry | Volume (MT) | % Usage | Primary Applications |
| 1 | Electric Vehicles (EVs) | ~198,000 | 90.0% | Li-ion batteries (NMC/LFP) for passenger and commercial vehicles. |
| 2 | Energy Storage Systems (ESS) | ~34,000* | ~15.4% | Grid stabilization, renewable energy integration, and AI data centers. |
| 3 | Portable Electronics | ~11,000 | <5.0% | Rechargeable batteries for smartphones, laptops, and tablets. |
| 4 | Glass & Ceramics | ~4,400 | 2.0% | Heat-resistant glass (Pyrex), ceramic glazes, and fiberglass. |
| 5 | Lubricating Greases | ~1,500 | 0.7% | Lithium stearate for high-temperature industrial/auto lubricants. |
| 6 | Air Treatment | ~800 | 0.4% | Lithium chloride/bromide for industrial dehumidification systems. |
| 7 | Medical & Pharmaceuticals | ~600 | 0.3% | Lithium carbonate for bipolar disorder treatments; tracers. |
| 8 | Metallurgy & Casting | ~450 | 0.2% | Fluxing agent for continuous casting in steel and aluminum. |
| 9 | Polymer Production | ~350 | 0.1% | Organolithium catalysts for synthetic rubber and plastics. |
| 10 | Aerospace & Defense | ~250 | 0.1% | Lightweight Aluminum-Lithium alloys; satellite battery systems. |
| 11 | Power Tools | ~150 | <0.1% | High-drain Li-ion battery packs for industrial equipment. |
| 12 | E-Bikes & Micro-mobility | ~100 | <0.1% | Battery packs for electric bikes, scooters, and drones. |
| 13 | Nuclear Energy | Trace | <0.1% | Lithium-7 for coolant pH control in pressurized water reactors. |
| 14 | Underwater Technology | Trace | <0.1% | Lithium-based life support (CO2 scrubbers) in submarines. |
| 15 | Vision & Optics | Trace | <0.1% | Specialized lithium fluoride lenses for UV applications. |
| 16-20 | Niche Research/Tech | Trace | <0.1% | Solid-state battery R&D, tritium production, experimental alloys. |
Major Individual Company Purchasers
- Tesla, Inc.: Operates its own lithium refinery and has established direct offtake agreements with major producers like Ganfeng and Albemarle to secure its global EV supply chain.
- Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL): The world's largest battery manufacturer. They purchase massive volumes of lithium carbonate and hydroxide, and even operate their own mines to manage costs.
- LG Energy Solution: A primary supplier for global automakers including GM and Ford; they have recently inked multiple deals to source battery-grade lithium from North American and Australian producers.
- Toyota Motor Corporation: Continues to be a major purchaser as it scales up both its traditional hybrid fleet and new all-electric vehicle lines.
- Panasonic Energy: A long-term partner of Tesla and other OEMs, purchasing high volumes of lithium for cylindrical battery cells used in both EVs and high-end electronics.
- BYD Company: Unique in that it is both a major lithium purchaser and a top-tier EV and battery producer, maintaining a highly integrated supply chain mostly centered in China.
- Ford Motor Company: Has aggressively pursued direct supply agreements with lithium miners (such as SQM and Albemarle) to bypass mid-tier suppliers and ensure long-term resource security.
- General Motors (GM): Through its Ultium Cells joint venture, GM is a massive purchaser of lithium, recently securing domestic supply through strategic investments in projects like Thacker Pass.
- Volkswagen Group: Actively manages lithium procurement for its multi-brand EV rollout, securing long-term contracts to stabilize input costs for its PowerCo battery unit.
Caution: This content was sourced and arranged by AI and thus may be subject to errors, biases, omissions, or antiquation.
This information can provide a general sense of industry dynamics, but may be unreliable in its specifics, or as an isolated basis for investment decisions.