The electric vehicle was pitched as a clean break from Middle East oil. Now, the same region is back in the spotlight, just through a different material.

The aluminum that helps electric vehicles travel farther is caught behind the Strait of Hormuz, the same narrow waterway long tied to global oil flows. As the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran disrupts shipping through the corridor, automakers are facing a new kind of bottleneck, one that hits directly at production.

EVs rely heavily on aluminum to reduce weight and improve range. On average, EVs use about 40% more aluminum than traditional gasoline cars, with the metal built into battery enclosures, frames, and structural components.

Don't Miss:

A single bad hire can set a startup back years. Here are the 5 hires founders most often misjudge — and why

Experts say these common ETF pitfalls can catch new investors off guard

That demand runs straight into geography.

The Gulf region produces roughly 9% of the world's primary aluminum, much of it high-quality material preferred by automakers. But the same region depends on the Strait of Hormuz to move both finished aluminum out and key inputs like alumina and bauxite in.

Recent disruptions have forced producers to scale back. Aluminium Bahrain cut output by 19% after declaring force majeure, while Qatar's Qatalum curtailed production due to energy supply interruptions tied to regional strikes. Facilities linked to Emirates Global Aluminium have also been affected by reported attacks.

Trending: Avoid the #1 Investing Mistake: How Your ‘Safe' Holdings Could Be Costing You Big Time

The impact is already visible in production lines.

Industry data shows Japanese automakers such as Toyota Motor (NYSE:TM) and Nissan source the majority of their processed aluminum from the Middle East. "With regard to the materials like aluminium; about 70% of it comes from the Middle East," Toyota CEO Koji Sato said at a press conference last month. "And so if this situation [U.S.-Iran war) prolongs, needless to say, there's going to be procurement problems, I think there should be alternative sources and to explore and depending on how long the situation will prolong our options will need to be changed for the time being."

That concentration is now translating into real constraints.

Toyota has reduced output of affected vehicles by about 40,000 units over two months, while Nissan has adjusted schedules. Across the sector, manufacturers are building inventory where possible and searching for alternative supply as uncertainty grows.

Aluminum prices have surged in response. On the London Metal Exchange, prices have pushed toward four-year highs, approaching the $3,400 to $3,500 per ton range as supply tightens.

See Also: Skip the Regrets: The Essential Retirement Tips Experts Wish Everyone Knew Earlier.

The longer-term implications are beginning to take shape.

"This crisis is likely to permanently change how auto and EV manufacturers assess the Gulf as a sourcing region," Julius Baer Head of Next-Generation Research Carsten Menke told Rest of World.  "Not by eliminating Gulf sourcing, but by forcing OEMs to rethink risk exposure, diversification, and supply-chain resilience."

Automakers are already adjusting. Some are exploring alternative sourcing in North America and Europe, while others are increasing the use of recycled aluminum or reworking supply contracts to reduce single-region exposure.

Workarounds exist, including rerouting shipments through ports in Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, but they are slower, more expensive, and limited in scale.

For an industry built on global supply chains, the takeaway is straightforward. Reducing one dependency does not remove risk. It often shifts it into a different form.

Investors tracking supply risks and commodity prices, like those affecting aluminum for EV production, can explore metals-focused platforms such as Metals io to stay informed and diversify exposure.

Read Next: Thinking about ETFs? See what investment risks you should be aware of before you buy.

Image: Shutterstock

UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets.

Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga:

TOYOTA MOTOR (TM): Free Stock Analysis Report

This article EVs Were Built To Escape Middle East Oil — But 70% Of Their Aluminum Comes From the Same Risky Region, Toyota CEO Warns originally appeared on Benzinga.com

© 2026 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.