With the massive surge in EV Popularity, it is important to understand the environmental impact of electric vehicles, especially since they are advertised as one of the most sustainable and green choices for the future. The battery, being the key component, is the main source of controversy.
So, the question remains, are EV’s really as green as predicted? Well, the answer cannot be clear in black and white as there are advantages and disadvantages for both. However, it goes without saying that the boons outweigh the banes, and in the near future, we are expecting more advancements towards a positive light to help reduce the environmental impact of electric car batteries. However, advancements in electric vehicle battery life and recycling are helping to minimize their impact.
Curious about how electric car batteries affect the environment?🌍 This video breaks down the real impact of battery production, recycling, and sustainability efforts. Watch now to learn how the EV industry is evolving toward a greener future!
Are EV Batteries Bad for the Environment?
Before analyzing this question, it is important to understand why this topic is heavily discussed. The reason for the huge shift towards EVs, especially in the US, is due to it being a sustainable choice and thereby helping the planet to avoid carbon footprints.
Conventional gasoline vehicles produced comparatively huge amounts of carbon emissions, including but not limited to the Carbon fuel source and tailpipe emissions.
Electric vehicles are known for their zero-emission policy, as the batteries are Lithium-ion based or nickel-based and use regenerative braking, eliminating tailpipe emissions.
However, the manufacturing process for an EV battery accounts for some environmental issues, which could lead to an increase in the carbon footprint.
Environmental Problems with EV Batteries
EV Batteries history, much like any new technology, is filled with some social and environmental issues, such as:
- Coal Grids– Coal grids produce a huge amount of carbon to process, and although these are still widely used, many countries and half the states in the USA are moving towards cleaner sources for grids, such as Solar and wind, thereby reducing the coal usage and encouraging massive production units of renewable energy sources.
- Rare Earth metal extraction– Many of these batteries are powered by rare earth materials such as nickel, lithium, cobalt and manganese, which, just like the name suggests, are uniquely found in certain geographical locations, and over-exploiting could lead to severe ecological imbalances.
- Lack of recycling– The environmental impact of an EV battery does not stop at its production stage, the used batteries ending up in landfills are a major cause of fires and other hazardous chemical leaks.
- Social concern– Workers are exploited in more than half of these mines in gruelling and subhuman conditions for less than minimum wage, one of the leading cobalt suppliers with approximately 74% of the total world supply, the Democratic Republic of Congo has a record-breaking number of people (more than 20,000 in a single tunnel including kids) enduring under these slave-like labour conditions engaging in artisanal mining (Usage of primitive tools under dangerous conditions). Cobalt is a dangerous substance, and these Congolese are living and breathing in the toxins.
The environmental impact of ev batteries might seem severe from these examples, but keep in mind that with the advancements in technology, we are seeing a gradual shift towards bettering the industry, as efforts are being made to adopt cleaner energy grids, explore alternative materials, and enforce safer working conditions.
Environmental Impact of EV Battery Production
EV Battery production has been debated continuously throughout the last decade due to its complicated nature.
The extraction and processing of essential minerals, though currently feasible, require sustainable management to prevent resource depletion and long-term environmental damage.
Furthermore, Metals like lithium use the Brine extraction method, which uses an enormous amount of groundwater supply for the process. This leads to drying up / Contamination of the nearby water sources.
This is a major concern in Chile as the Atacama desert plant contributes to 90% of the world’s lithium supply, and the extraction could lead to a possible dry-up. Cobalt and Manganese employ the dry mining method, which leads to severe air pollution and the release of toxins in the nearby area.
What Happens to Batteries at the End of Their Life?
Everything has an expiry date, and so does our electric vehicle battery, although it could go up to 15-20 years if managed properly, the EV Companies are still figuring out ways to recycle a used battery.
The environmental impact of EV batteries is still being studied. Once a battery is no longer suitable for a car, it can still be repurposed for electricity storage. And beyond that, it can still be 90% recycled under careful conditions.
Automobile giants like Tesla, Volvo, Toyota and Ford are committed to EV battery recycling, giving us hope for the future. It is vital to note that companies like NorthVolt, an EV Manufacturing factory in Sweden, are aiming to use 50% recycled materials by 2030.
Having suitable facilities and tighter regulations for recycling will help reduce the environmental impact of electric car batteries while keeping up with the increase in demands for the future without damaging our planet.
Solutions for a Greener EV Battery Future
Although the electric car batteries’ impact on the environment looks severe, and there are a lot of myths surrounding the same on the market and internet, it is important to note that with the growth of technology, there are numerous solutions available to us for a Greener EV Future.
- Shift from lithium-ion to solid state batteries– More and more companies are now shifting away from Lithium-ion batteries to LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries) to reduce the usage of Cobalt and lithium in batteries. The transition from lithium-ion to solid-state batteries is a game changer. Check out our breakdown of solid-state battery vs. lithium-ion to learn more.
However, these have some considerable drawbacks regarding range, and hence, Solid-state batteries are the next big thing in the EV industry, it boasts better range and charging time while decreasing the usage of rare earth materials. Brands like Toyota have initiated their plans for a new EV Model withvSS Battery to be launched by 2030. - Renewable energy grids– The bold step away from coal grids to renewable energy sources to power the charging stations is a huge leap in the right way. These grids encourage and promote clean energy usage, such as Solar and Wind, and help in reducing the greenhouse emissions from conventional fuel burns.
- Social responsibility– Big conglomerates and automobile giants are now committing to safer practices and investing in purchasing the metals from source-certified companies, which have track records of safe and properly managed work environments. Along with their commitment to recycling used EV batteries, it helps in securing a greener future.
Conclusion
The environmental impact of an EV battery has been discussed thoroughly across the times, it is important to note that all these impacts, primarily from lithium sourcing and cobalt mining, are not limited to Electric vehicles, these metals are also used in other advanced technologies such as smartphones and electrical devices. According to data released by the U.S Energy Information Agency, EV charging consumes less electricity than a water heater or air conditioning.
Hence, it is important to take the “EV batteries bad for environment” articles on the internet with a grain of salt. Overall, an electric vehicle still produces comparatively lesser emissions and negative impact compared to a gasoline car over its lifetime and with efforts being made in the right direction, the future is looking a lot more greener.
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