The average cost of a lithium-ion battery pack fell to $137 per kWh in 2020, according to a new industry survey from BloombergNEF. That's an inflation-adjusted decline of 13 percent since 2019.
2020 Lithium-Ion Battery Price Survey | BloombergNEF Our 2020 battery price survey has found that the volume-weighted average price for a lithium-ion battery pack, across all sectors, is $137/kWh in 2020, slightly higher than our expectations from a year ago.
Hong Kong and London, December 16, 2020 – Lithium-ion battery pack prices, which were above $1,100 per kilowatt-hour in 2010, have fallen 89% in real terms to $137/kWh in 2020. By 2023, average prices will be close to $100/kWh, according to the latest forecast from research company BloombergNEF (BNEF).
Currently, 54% of the cell price comes from the cathode, 18% from the anode, and 28% from other components. The average price of lithium-ion battery cells dropped from $290 per kilowatt-hour in 2014 to $103 in 2023. In the coming months, prices are expected to drop further due to oversupply from China.
How have lithium-ion battery prices changed over the last 10 years?
Lithium prices, for example, have plummeted nearly 90% since the late 2022 peak, leading to mine closures and impacting the price of lithium-ion batteries used in EVs. This graphic uses exclusive data from our partner Benchmark Mineral Intelligence to show the evolution of lithium-ion battery prices over the last 10 years.
How much do EV batteries cost?
At the cell level, average BEV prices were just $100/kWh. This indicates that on average, the battery pack portion of the total price accounts for 21%. BNEF's 2020 Battery Price Survey, which considers passenger EVs, e-buses, commercial EVs and stationary storage, predicts that by 2023 average pack prices will be $101/kWh.
What is the difference between lithium ion battery prices and nickel prices?
Data until March 2023. Lithium-ion battery prices (including the pack and cell) represent the global volume-weighted average across all sectors. Nickel prices are based on the London Metal Exchange, used here as a proxy for global pricing, although most nickel trade takes place through direct contracts between producers and consumers.