The exponential growth in demand for electric vehicles (EVs) necessitates increasing supplies of low-cost and high-performance lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Naturally, the ramp-up in LIB production raises concerns over raw material availability, where constraints can generate severe price spikes and bring the momentum and optimism of the EV market to a halt. Particularly, the reliance of cobalt in the cathode is concerning owing to its high cost, scarcity, and centralized and volatile supply chain structure. However, compositions suitable for EV applications that demonstrate high energy density and lifetime are all reliant on cobalt to some degree. In this work, we assess the necessity and feasibility of developing and commercializing cobalt-free cathode materials for LIBs. Promising cobalt-free compositions and critical areas of research are highlighted, which provide new insight into the role and contribution of cobalt.

电动汽车（EV）需求呈指数级增长，需要增加低成本高性能锂离子电池（LIB）的供应。当然，锂离子电池产量的增加引发了对原材料供应的担忧，原材料供应的限制可能会导致价格严重飙升，并使电动汽车市场的势头和乐观情绪陷入停滞。特别是，由于钴成本高、稀缺、供应链结构集中且不稳定，正极对钴的依赖令人担忧。然而，适合电动汽车应用且具有高能量密度和寿命的组合物在某种程度上都依赖于钴。在这项工作中，我们评估了开发和商业化用于锂离子电池的无钴正极材料的必要性和可行性。重点介绍了有前景的无钴成分和关键研究领域，为钴的作用和贡献提供了新的见解。