Energy transition: electric cars must (also) reduce their weight

It is necessary to urgently reduce the size of electric cars, otherwise France could find itself with a shortage of “critical” metals, warns a WWF study this Thursday, November 9. The NGO calls in particular for the weight penalty to be extended to these models, which are currently spared due to the large mass of the batteries and the ongoing transition towards these “zero emissions” engines.

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“The ecological transition needs the electric vehicle, but the problem is its size,” said Jean Burkard, promotion director of WWF France, during a press conference, highlighting that SUVs currently constitute 41% of sales of these vehicles.

The problem? “A large electric SUV consumes 3 times more copper and aluminum and 5 times more lithium, nickel and cobalt than a small electric city car,” reveals the study, while these metals are considered “critical”, because they are essential for all production. energy. transition but exists in limited quantity.

In this way, the demand for rare metals could multiply by 30 in 20 years. As very little is produced in France, this poses “geostrategic risks”, according to Jean Burkard, and means that, in the event of a shortage, “we will have to choose between electric vehicles, wind turbines or electrical grids.”

A scenario of “sobriety” to avoid shortages

In its study, WWF studied three “realistic” scenarios and their consequences: the “let it go” scenario, where everything would continue as it is today, the “intermediate” scenario, where current policies would have an effect on demand, and the “sobriety” scenario. ”, with more proactive policies to reduce vehicle size and car dependency.

The result is clear: “If we do not adopt this scenario of sobriety”, French demand for “critical” metals will be between 5 and 15% excessive “in relation to their economic weight”, details Jean Burkard.

On the other hand, in the sober scenario, demand would be “25% lower” than the country’s economic weight, paving the way even for the export of lithium, a precious metal whose price has skyrocketed, from 13,000 to 70,000 euros per year. anus. ton between 2020 and 2021, “an important asset for the French trade balance,” he points out.

“De-SUVizing the electricity market” by taking the sober route “will already make it possible to reduce demand (for critical metals) by 17% in 2035 compared to a scenario of neglect,” the report adds.

Mechanisms to limit automobile obesity

To reduce the size of electric vehicles, WWF asks the Government to introduce “a specific penalty for weight” and, in mirror, “reserve the ecological bonus only for electric cars that weigh less than 1.6 tons”, compared to 2.4 current. A current ceiling that doesn’t really make sense: 100% electric vehicles that weigh 2.4 tons more are generally already too expensive to qualify for the ecological bonus.

The association also recommends “requiring car manufacturers to annually publish the average weight of registered electric cars” and creating a European penalty of 5 euros per kilo in case the 1.6 ton threshold is exceeded.

Responding in advance to the objections, the WWF proposes introducing an exemption for large families, forced to opt for a large vehicle, who would benefit from a “special regime”. Exceptions that already exist to avoid having to pay a CO2 or weight penalty.