Aluminium Wiring Takes Centre Stage in Electric Vehicles

For decades, copper was the undisputed leader in electrical applications due to its high conductivity and corrosion resistance. However, the recent surge in aluminium wiring adoption in electric vehicles (EVs) is set to shake up this status quo.

The key driver behind this shift is economics. With the copper price reaching an all-time high of $15,000 per tonne in January 2026, the copper-to-aluminium price ratio has exceeded the industry's substitution trigger threshold of 3.5-4.0 times. This means that aluminium wiring has become increasingly attractive to manufacturers.

Aluminium conducts electricity at approximately 61% of copper's efficiency, but its lower density makes up for this shortfall in terms of mass. In fact, when considering the weight saved from using aluminium wiring, EVs can enjoy extended driving ranges on a fixed battery capacity.

The adoption curve spans manufacturers across multiple continents, with BMW and Ferrari being early adopters. Tesla's integration of aluminium wiring in its Model Y has set the benchmark for the industry, while Chinese EV manufacturers such as AVATR, XPeng, and Xiaomi have also adopted this technology.