How Democrats’ Push For Electric Cars Endangers National Security

Materials for Electric Vehicles, Putting America at Risk

The race to electrify America’s transportation system is on, but it seems like the Biden administration may have overlooked a crucial detail: the materials needed to make electric vehicles. Ford Motor Company recently announced that it’s set to lose over $6 billion on its latest electric vehicle plants while it gets them running, with the company CEO highlighting the fact that the U.S. cannot continue to import batteries and rare earth from overseas.

But the problem doesn’t stop there. The Biden administration’s antipathy to U.S. energy independence and foreign monopolies on mining have created a dearth of crucial materials for EVs. In a recent congressional hearing, Biden Interior Secretary Deb Haaland couldn’t answer basic questions about this issue, putting America at risk.

The Hard Realities of an Infrastructure Shift

Joe Biden declared war on fossil fuels on his first day in office, and the federal government has adopted numerous policies to swiftly move our nation away from gas-powered vehicles to all-electric ones. However, the administration appears entirely unaware of the hard realities of such a major infrastructure shift.

Electric car manufacturers are popping up in the U.S. to construct multibillion-dollar assembly plants planned to turn out 150,000 to 250,000 electric vehicles per year. Electric battery plants are co-locating to produce the massive batteries for these EVs, aided by federal and state incentives. But batteries account for 20-40 percent of an EV’s cost, and sourcing the rare-earth elements in the quantities necessary to stamp “Made in America!” on those enormous batteries may mean these billions of dollars being shuffled around will go toward producing far fewer cars than currently promised. That means the entire enterprise could be another giant taxpayer-sponsored boondoggle.

China’s Monopoly on Key Materials

China monopolizes key materials for electric vehicles, putting America at risk. Due to government subsidies and regulations, electric car manufacturers are constructing multibillion-dollar assembly plants planned to turn out 150,000 to 250,000 electric vehicles per year. But it has become apparent that the battery manufacturers may not control their own destinies. Sourcing the rare-earth elements in the quantities necessary to stamp “Made in America!” on those enormous batteries may mean these billions of dollars being shuffled around will go toward producing far fewer cars than currently promised. That means the entire enterprise could be another giant taxpayer-sponsored boondoggle.

• Electric car manufacturers are popping up in the U.S. to construct multibillion-dollar assembly plants planned to turn out 150,000 to 250,000 electric vehicles per year.
• Electric battery plants are co-locating to produce the massive batteries for these EVs, aided by federal and state incentives.
• Batteries account for 20-40 percent of an EV’s cost.
• Sourcing the rare-earth elements in the quantities necessary to stamp “Made in America!” on those enormous batteries may mean these billions of dollars being shuffled around will go toward producing far fewer cars than currently promised.

The Biden administration needs to take a hard look at the realities of the EV industry and the materials needed to make it a success. Without a plan to secure these materials domestically, the U.S. risks falling behind China and other countries that have already secured their supply chains. It’s time for the administration to prioritize American energy independence and ensure that the U.S. can lead the way in the electric vehicle revolution.

Why EV Batteries are a Global Challenge

Electric vehicles (EVs) are the future of transportation, but their batteries require nine crucial elements that are mostly controlled by foreign countries, especially China. These elements include graphite, aluminum, nickel, copper, steel, manganese, cobalt, lithium, and iron. The United States has limited control over the raw materials needed for EVs, making it difficult to produce them domestically.

The Challenge of Sourcing Raw Materials

China dominates the global market for graphite, producing 82% of the world’s supply. The United States has not mined graphite since the 1950s, and plans for opening a mine are far off. China also produces nearly 60% of the world’s aluminum, and it’s likely only China can provide the quantities necessary for mass EV battery production. Approximately 50% of the world’s available nickel is mined in Indonesia and Australia, and the United States’ sole nickel mine will be exhausted by 2026. The future of nickel mining for EVs is questionable due to environmental and health concerns.

The Role of Copper and Steel

The U.S. is a top-five producer of copper, so that metal can likely be sourced domestically. The U.S. is also a top-five producer of steel yet still imports almost 20% of its needs before adding the demand from EV production. China’s output is more than 10 times the United States’, making it the world’s top producer of steel.

The Importance of Addressing the Global Challenge

As the demand for EVs grows, it’s crucial to address the global challenge of sourcing raw materials. The United States must find ways to secure a domestic supply of these materials or develop alternative technologies that don’t rely on them. It’s a complex challenge that requires collaboration between governments, businesses, and environmental activists to ensure a sustainable future for transportation.

China’s Dominance in Battery Component Sources

Did you know that China has effectively positioned itself to control the markets for the necessary metals in EV battery manufacturing? This means that China either directly controls the battery components or has secured long-term agreements with their respective producers, giving them the power to dictate if, and at what cost, they will allow any competition.

Let’s take a closer look at the sources of battery components. Cobalt mining occurs mostly in Congo, while Australia, Russia, and Canada account for much of the balance. However, China has invested in companies with mining rights in Congo. Manganese is sourced globally, primarily in South Africa, Gabon, China, and Australia. China has invested heavily in obtaining control of mining rights in Africa, Australia, and South American countries where preliminary investigations show extensive deposits.

Iron (ore) extraction is led by Australia, Brazil, Russia, and China, while mining in the U.S. produces just a small fraction of the global total. Even though China is a top producer of iron ore, its manufacturing needs are so great that it has agreements in place to purchase approximately 70 percent of all global exports of the mineral.

Lithium constitutes just 3 percent of EV battery components. However, the United States has only one operating mine, producing less than 2 percent of the global supply. As a result, the vast majority of lithium is obtained from Australia and South America. China is also a top-five lithium producer and has bought into lithium operations in these countries, as well as the potential “Lithium Triangle,” incorporating the South American countries of Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia. So China effectively controls the majority of lithium sources.

Democrats’ Environmental Policies and China’s Dominance

China’s dominance in battery component sources poses a major obstacle to domestic EV battery manufacturing. This means that Democrats’ highly expensive environmental policies have been developed without any meaningful strategic thinking or analyses about raw materials and geopolitics. Neither have they given any thought to where the additional electrical power will come from when millions of EV owners plug in to recharge.

As a result of how China has positioned itself in any major transition to electric vehicles, it could not only be the world’s exclusive EV battery manufacturer, but it could very well be the sole manufacturer of the EVs themselves. That also means U.S. companies moving forward with projects like those that have recently been announced could end up with billion-dollar enterprises that are empty shells.

Sources of Battery Components

• Cobalt mining occurs mostly in Congo, while Australia, Russia, and Canada account for much of the balance.
• Manganese is sourced globally, primarily in South Africa, Gabon, China, and Australia.
• Iron (ore) extraction is led by Australia, Brazil, Russia, and China, while mining in the U.S. produces just a small fraction of the global total.
• The vast majority of lithium is obtained from Australia and South America, with China effectively controlling the majority of lithium sources.

It’s clear that China’s dominance in battery component sources is a major obstacle to domestic EV battery manufacturing. Democrats’ environmental policies have been developed without any meaningful strategic thinking or analyses about raw materials and geopolitics, which could lead to China becoming the world’s exclusive EV battery and EV manufacturer. It’s time for a more strategic approach to ensure that the United States can compete in the global EV market.

The Dark Side of Electric Vehicles

Electric vehicles (EVs) are often touted as the solution to our environmental problems, but the reality is far from perfect. The production of EVs involves extracting minerals from nearby rivers, streams, and groundwater, polluting the air in many poor countries. Democrats overlook or dismiss the human toll resulting from forced labor in China and child labor in Africa used to mine the battery components for EVs.

Endangering U.S. Security and Economy

But the problems with EVs go beyond environmental and ethical concerns. The United States’ reliance on China for cheap goods has enabled China to grow and threaten our position as the world’s superpower. China’s navy is now larger than ours, and they have built a new base in the middle of the South China Sea to support their expanded fleet.

If a military conflict involving China and Taiwan were to occur, or even a trade blockade, the world’s economies would be immediately disrupted. Taiwan manufactures 65 percent of all microchips and as much as 90 percent of the world’s advanced microprocessors. This means that nearly all electronics would come to an abrupt halt with such an attack.

Furthermore, China could withhold shipments of certain medical products and pharmaceuticals to the United States, including life-sustaining antibiotics that we depend on them to produce. This would be “checkmate” for us.

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