Morocco Poised to Become Major Player in Electric Vehicle Battery Production

Morocco is among the top ten producers of cobalt (the Democratic Republic of Congo, 70% of global cobalt), and its reserves can allow it to create a battery industry for electric vehicles (EVs) on site. Manufacturers are struggling to source cobalt (one of the important ingredients for manufacturing EV batteries) due to the evolution of its price, with demand growing strongly. Faced with these difficulties, the use of phosphate and iron, which are relatively cheaper, is preferred.

Manufacturers prefer to replace expensive cobalt and nickel as well as manganese with phosphate and iron. Even if they do not offer the same longer ranges as NMC batteries, LFP batteries based on phosphate are cheaper, safer and last longer than their cobalt-based counterparts. An advantage for Morocco, which owns 70% of the world’s phosphate reserves. "The mineral reserves for batteries that Morocco has are accelerating its entry into the manufacture of electric vehicles," reveals a study by the American think tank Middle East Institute.

Another asset Morocco has is that it is one of the most advanced countries in green electricity. It can not only ensure that its green mobility vehicles are produced in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner, but also be able to cope with the discontinuity of electricity production from renewable resources (sun, wind).