Rapid EV Growth, Solar Power & Mineral Supply
From EVs accelerating across emerging markets to California’s growing battery fleet, this week’s stories show how quickly the energy system is changing. Solar is cutting fossil generation, research points to an increasingly solar-powered future, while minerals remain vital to the technologies driving the transition.
🚗 EVs Reach 10% of New Car Sales in Around 40 Countries
Electric vehicles are rapidly moving beyond the early-adopting markets, with EVs accounting for at least 10% of new car sales in around 40 countries in 2025. Many newer markets are seeing particularly fast growth, helped by the growing availability and affordability of Chinese-made models.
🔋 California's Battery Boom Continues
California's 300 MW/1,200 MWh Nighthawk Energy Storage plant has begun operations near San Diego, storing solar power during the day and releasing it after sunset. With around 21 GW of battery capacity now installed across the state and solar supplying 51% of electricity in May, storage is becoming vital to California's increasingly solar-powered grid.
☀️ Solar Is Cutting Fossil Generation But Storage Matters
Solar is already cutting midday fossil-fuel generation by around 10 GW in India and 16 GW across the EU. But with insufficient battery storage, fossil fuels continue to play a major role after sunset, highlighting how more storage could help turn growing solar capacity into round-the-clock clean power.
⚡ Five Decades of Research Point to a Solar Future
A review of 50 years of research finds solar PV consistently emerging as a backbone of future energy systems, with some projections seeing it supplying around 61% of global electricity by 2050. The findings also highlight how forecasts have repeatedly underestimated solar's rapid growth.
⛏️ China Dominates Global Mineral Production
China produced around 5.3 billion tonnes of minerals in 2024, accounting for 26.9% of global output, while the five largest producers together supplied 61%. With minerals essential for batteries, grids, electronics and advanced technologies, their highly concentrated production is becoming increasingly important to the energy transition.