EV Copper Conversations

Electrification and Energy Efficiency: Copper’s Role in the EV Revolution

Part of the Copper Conversations Campaign – July 2025

Author: John Hipchen (CDA Energy and Electrical Systems Director)

As the automotive sector accelerates toward electrification, one material stands out as essential to performance, safety, and energy efficiency: copper. From battery packs to power electronics, copper is foundational to the electric vehicle (EV) era. For OEMs navigating a complex and competitive transition, understanding copper’s critical role is key to innovation and resilience.

Scaling Copper Use: More Power, More Copper

Electrification fundamentally reshapes vehicle architecture. Internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles contain around 24 kg of copper. Hybrids average 40 to 60 kg. But full battery electric vehicles (BEVs) can require 80 to 91 kg - more than three times as much as their ICE counterparts. This surge is not just about quantity. It’s about quality: copper enables energy transfer with unmatched efficiency and reliability across all powertrain types.

From hybrids to full battery electric vehicles, the amount of copper usage increases significantly. Key subsystems such as battery anode collectors, module interconnects, high-voltage cables, and motor windings are all copper intensive. These components account for approximately 70 to 80 percent of the total copper content in an EV.

Under the Hood: Where Copper Delivers

Copper is not just present; it’s integral in almost every feature:

  • Battery Systems: Copper foil anode collectors play a vital role in lithium-ion cells. Copper conductors connect individual cells and modules, ensuring stable current distribution.
  • High-Voltage Cabling: Copper’s high conductivity minimizes losses in the flow from battery to motor.
  • Motors and Power Electronics: Traction motors depend on tightly wound copper coils. Inverters, DC-DC converters, and onboard chargers all use copper for optimal performance.
  • Thermal Management: Copper components used in cooling systems help protect batteries and electronics under demanding conditions.

For OEMs looking to optimize energy density, thermal stability, and safety, copper is the natural choice.

  1. The Efficiency Edge

Copper isn’t just a passive material. Its low electrical resistance actively reduces power loss, extending EV range. In high-voltage systems, where every watt counts, copper’s conductivity translates directly into efficiency. It enables regenerative braking, supports high-speed charging, and helps manage heat in constrained design environments.

As EVs become more software-defined and sensor-driven, copper also supports the high-frequency signal integrity needed for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), autonomy, and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication.

  1. Circular, Sustainable, and Scalable

OEMs face growing regulatory and investor pressure to reduce lifecycle emissions. Copper supports this mandate:

  • It is 100% recyclable without loss of performance.
  • Roughly one-third of U.S. copper demand is already met through recycling.
  • Copper’s durability and reusability make it ideal for closed-loop battery and motor recovery systems.

Used in hybrid engines, high-efficiency heat exchangers, and , copper also contributes to emissions control in today’s mixed powertrain environment.

The U.S. Advantage: There is Enough to Meet the Demand

With copper demand projected to double by 2035, supply assurance is paramount. Fortunately, the U.S. is well-positioned to meet this challenge:

  • 275 million metric tons of copper reserves are estimated within U.S. borders.
  • The CDA advocates for an “ all-of-the-above” strategy: increased mining and refining, expanded recycling, and sustained trade with trusted partners like Canada, Chile, and Peru.

 

New policies targeting infrastructure, permitting, and domestic production will bolster copper availability

 

STIMULUS MAY SLOW – COPPER’S ROLE DOESN’T

Several key EV incentives are set to expire by late 2025:

  • The $7,500 federal EV tax credit ends September 30, 2025
  • Used EV and leasing credits also sunset this year
  • Residential and commercial charger credits expire June 30, 2026
  • A new car loan interest deduction applies through 2028 – but only to U.S. assembled vehicles

As stimulus winds down, analysts expect near-term EV adoption to slow, potentially delaying electrification goals.

COPPER REMAINS A CONSTANT

For OEMs, this uncertainty makes copper more, not less, strategic.

Why:

  • Copper is critical in ICE, hybrid, and EV platforms
  • It supports safety, energy management, and power systems
  • In 2023, over 90% of U.S. vehicle production was ICE or hybrid – copper-intensive categories

Whether electrification accelerates or slows, copper continues to be indispensable in U.S. vehicle production.

CDA is working with OEMs to optimize copper use across all architectures – because critical design requires critical materials.

 

CDA: Your Partner in Electrification

The Copper Development Association works closely with U.S. OEMs to provide:

  • Technical guidance on copper applications
  • Material Compliance and sustainability insights
  • Supply chain and market intelligence

As vehicle design evolves, so does copper’s role. From concept to compliance, CDA ensures that OEMs have the support, information and resources they need to succeed in a copper-powered future.

Conclusion

Copper has proven its worth over centuries. With abundant resources and a robust strategy to meet present and future demand, the U.S. can support OEM innovation through every phase of electrification.  The EV revolution will run on copper, and CDA is here to keep it moving.