A Study on the Cradle-to-Gate Environmental Impacts of Automotive Lithium-ion Batteries

Abstract

Several factors are influencing the spread of Electric Vehicles (EVs) in the automotive market. However, while battery-electric vehicles emit no tailpipe emissions, the manufacturing phase, particularly the manufacturing of the battery packs, can have significant environmental impacts. In addition, as the EV market expands, there will be a significant increase in demand for critical materials used in lithium-ion batteries, such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel. These materials are essential for producing high-performance batteries, and their global demand is expected to rise rapidly to meet the demands of the expanding market. This paper investigates the main challenges that need to be tackled to reach a sustainable path in the battery industry. A cradle-to-gate boundary is set to focus on raw material extraction, production of precursors, cell and module production, and battery pack assembly. In addition, because 7.8 million tons of EV batteries per year are expected to reach the end-of-life phase by 2040, a brief overview of the recycling issue is provided to investigate the potential usage of recycled material in the early stages of battery production.