Are There Alternative to Cobalt?

Despite growing concern over unethical cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, there is still no complete substitute for cobalt as of 2026, though several alternatives are reducing reliance on it. Many electric vehicles now use nickel-rich lithium-ion batteries that contain significantly less cobalt than older models, while lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, which use no cobalt at all, are increasingly common in buses, affordable EVs, and energy storage systems, even though they offer lower energy density. Researchers are also developing manganese-based cathodes, sodium-ion batteries, and solid-state batteries, but these technologies are not yet advanced enough to fully replace cobalt in high-performance applications. Battery recycling offers another partial solution by recovering cobalt from used electronics and EV batteries, but recycled cobalt still supplies less than 10% of global demand in 2026. Because cobalt plays a key role in battery safety, stability, and lifespan, it remains widely used, meaning ethical sourcing and stronger regulation are still necessary alongside technological innovation.