Is it possible to achieve the global energy transition set for 2035? The International Energy Agency has the answer
03/10/2026 15:30
Updated to
03/10/2026 15:30
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The debate over the feasibility of energy transition in the automotive industry continues to draw attention from both the industry and international organizations. As deadlines set by major powers for banning the sale of internal combustion engine vehicles approach, uncertainty about actual production and supply capabilities often raises concerns.
However, a recent analysis published by the International Energy Agency (IEA) sheds light on this scenario, showing that the global electrification goal set for the next decade has sufficient technical and resource foundations to be achieved.
Key findings of the global analysis
Contrary to pessimistic forecasts warning of an imminent depletion of resources such as lithium, nickel, or cobalt, the report indicates that the capacity for extraction and refining has experienced exponential growth in recent years. This industrial development is not a coincidence but rather a direct response to the demand driven by the widespread adoption of electric vehicles in key markets such as China, Europe, and North America.
The study’s figures show that the installed capacity of battery cell gigafactories far exceeds the initial projections from the past decade, allowing production costs to stabilize and reducing reliance on geographic bottlenecks. In terms of voltage architecture and motor efficiency, the industry has matured enough to optimize the use of scarce materials through the adoption of new formulations, such as lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries or future solid-state technologies. This progress is crucial to ensuring that the scalability of electric vehicles is not hindered by a lack of resources, but rather finds innovation as the driving force to meet set deadlines.
The challenges of infrastructure and transition in markets
In addressing the goals set for 2035, the International Energy Agency’s report emphasizes that the real challenge now lies not only in manufacturing cars but also in synchronizing the deployment of charging networks with clean energy generation. The transition to electrified mobility requires a parallel transformation of electricity distribution networks, capable of handling peak demand resulting from simultaneous charging in both urban areas and major road transport corridors.
The technical proximity between political goals and industrial reality is driven by the gradual decline in operational and acquisition costs for end-users. As economies of scale take hold in manufacturers’ assembly lines, price parity between internal combustion vehicles and electric vehicles becomes a constant commercial factor. This balance, supported by increasingly stringent emission regulations in major international markets, fosters an environment where end-users have access to a more mature, efficient technological offering better equipped to meet the demands of mobility in the next decade.
