The Electric Vehicle Revolution is an undeniable trend that will only grow larger in the near future. There are many 'moving parts' that support this important trend - the miners of battery metals, the vehicle manufacturers, the builders of charging networks and adoption by end users. Here are the latest developments in the electric vehicle and battery metals markets.

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1) Gregor Gregersen, Founder of Silver Bullion, on CNBC: Most people are unaware of the huge potential in nickel.

• The electric vehicle battery industry is moving towards an 80% nickel battery chemistry.
• More nickel in batteries allow improved driving range and power. However, it needs a stabilizing agent like cobalt to keep the battery from burning up.
• Nickel price is still very cheap compared to other battery metals such as cobalt and lithium. Its price is 25% of its 2007 high.

2) Gianni Kovacevic,  Executive Chairman of CopperBank, shares in this interview how the electrification of transport is a global phenomenon. 

• The Chinese city of Shenzhen's entire 16,000-strong bus fleet is now fully electric.{C}
• Consumers will pivot from internal combustion engine vehicles to electric vehicles based on cost vs price considerations.
• Electric vehicle demand will impact copper positively as electric vehicles require four to five times for copper.
• Copper is already in a supply deficit - no major copper mines coming online until 2022.

3) City of Toronto Buys BYD Electric Buses

• Electric bus order came from Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), Canada's largest transit operator and the third largest transit operator in North America.
• TTC starts with 10 40-foot BYD transit buses with an option for 30 more later.
• TTC plans to buy only emission-free buses by 2025.

4) Seattle to Receive First Electric Refuse Trucks from BYD

• Recology, an integrated resource recovery company headquartered in San Francisco, places order for all-electric refuse trucks for use in residential solid waste pick up.
• BYD has already delivered its first electric refuse truck in North America to Palo Alto.

5) Electric cab company, HDT, becomes seventh taxis operator in Singapore

• After being awarded an operator licence, the company will be required to have a minimum fleet of 800 electric cabs by the end of July 2022.

6) US Electric Vehicle Charging Market to Grow to $18.6B

• According to a report by Wood Mackenzie Ltd, charging infrastructure in North America will draw $18.6 billion by 2030.
• 40 million charging points expected globally by 2030 as electric vehicles are forecast to make up about 11 percent of new sales.
• Electric vehicle sales may soar 24 percent each year on average through to 2030 with China expected to become the biggest market.

7) Japan Unveils Plan for Automotive Industry to 'Go Green' by 2050

• Japan committed to domestic production and sales of only electrified vehicles by 2050.
• Major car manufacturers Toyota, Nissan and Honda will phase out conventional vehicles within the next three decades in favor of electric vehicles.
• Automotive consortium set up to secure cobalt supplies via long-term contracts with global suppliers.

8) Safety in consumer products will be the top reason why cobalt-free batteries are probably decades away from mass production.

We can clearly see that the electric vehicle market is gaining traction in many areas. Cities are adopting or trying out electric vehicles first in public transportation. This is a very sensible area to start since charging nodes can be centralized in depots making operation costs down at the start. The governmental support in phasing out ICE vehicles is making the private sector see potential in building and operating charging infrastructure to support the future electric vehicle population.

Investors looking to capitalize on this electrification supercycle has many options: buying battery metals mining stocks, battery and vehicle manufacturers, charging network builders or operators or direct investment to battery metals such as lithium, nickel and cobalt.

Despite the fall in commodity prices at this moment, prices for battery metals should correct to the upside given the longer term perspective on the electric vehicle trend.