Electrified Debate
The ever-looming subject of electric vehicles was never far from the stage at this years ICIS World Base Oil & Lubricants conference in London. The switch from internal-combustion engines to electric motors and the dent it will leave on the passenger car motor oils market is oft discussed in these pages. We have touched upon where the electricity to charge all those batteries will come from. Until now, we havent grappled with another crucial point: the battle between the lubricants industry and the car industry for mineral resources.
The general perception of an all-electric future is of emissions-free, clean, sustainable transport. Its a win for the environment and a win for carmakers, which will no longer need to invest millions in developing expensive and complicated engines. And high-end electric cars even out-perform their gasoline-driven counterparts on the track by a significant margin, which will keep the adrenaline junkies happy.
Like gas guzzlers, electric vehicles are made of stuff, of which there is a finite supply and which takes energy to extract, process and form. Its not just metal and plastic to build chassis and dashboards, or leather for seats and wood for binnacles, but minerals such as lithium and graphite to make the essential component – the battery. And the one product that is crucial to actually keep electric vehicles moving, i.e., grease, also uses the same stuff. So this months cover story asks the question: Is there enough space for both industries to survive, if not thrive?
Elsewhere in this edition, we look at the business landscapes in the Middle East, India and Nigeria. These three markets are by no means monolithic, and all are beset by unique challenges, but they also offer growth potential in an otherwise static global picture. And lastly we take a very technical look inside the world of grease testing systems, while they still have material to test.
– Simon Johns
simon@LubesnGreases.com