The key takeaway: On a volume-weighted average basis across the battery industry, prices fell to $132 per kilowatt-hour in 2021. This is down from $140/kWh in 2020 (in real 2021 dollars).
Hong Kong and London, November 30, 2021 – Lithium-ion battery pack prices, which were above $1,200 per kilowatt-hour in 2010, have fallen 89% in real terms to $132/kWh in 2021 . This is a 6% drop from $140/kWh in 2020. Continuing cost reductions bode well for the future of electric vehicles, which rely on lithium-ion technology.
We estimate battery cost according to input prices. Our baseline scenario calls for US$105/kWh in 2025. However, our risk scenario using past highs for input prices (over the last decade) is for US$123/kWh and thus a limited decline from battery costs in 2021 (US$129/kWh).
The key takeaway: On a volume-weighted average basis across the battery industry, prices fell to $132 per kilowatt-hour in 2021. This is down from $140/kWh in 2020 (in real 2021 dollars). The 6% drop isn't as drastic as the 9% decline we had forecast last year. Why are this year's prices higher than expected?
How much does a kilowatt-hour battery cost in 2021?
I wanted to follow up on a topic I first raised in September — battery costs. BloombergNEF has just published the 2021 battery price survey, one of the most important pieces of research we carry out annually. The key takeaway: On a volume-weighted average basis across the battery industry, prices fell to $132 per kilowatt-hour in 2021.
How much does a battery electric vehicle cost in 2021?
For battery electric vehicle (BEV) packs in particular, prices were $118/kWh on a volume-weighted average basis in 2021. At the cell level, average BEV prices were just $97/kWh. This indicates that on average, cells account for 82% of the total pack price.
In 2021, battery-pack pricing reported to BNEF ranged from $85/kWh to $546/kWh. Low-volume, niche applications came in at the top of the range. In sectors like stationary storage, prices still are slightly higher than the industry average — $152/kWh this year, a 16% fall from last year's average, and only $20/kWh higher than the average.