The EV battery 'catch-22'
05/20/2024
In his e-book, “The EV Transition Explained,” Robert Charette, longtime systems engineer, and contributing editor for IEEE Spectrum, says making the transition is harder than anyone thinks.
His argument centers on the lack of planning and systems engineering on initiatives that are politically, not engineering, driven. While change is possible,
he suggested it would require trillions more in government spending and enforcing those changes through law.
Profitability.
Battery recycling is a still-developing process which is time consuming and expensive. The cost of purchasing recycled materials may be more costly than buying them new.
Mineral shortfalls. Secure and sustainable access to critical minerals like copper, lithium, cobalt, and nickel is essential for a smooth and affordable transition to clean energy. An analysis by the International Energy Agency indicates a
“significant gap” between the world’s supply and demand for copper and lithium. Projected supplies will only meet 70% of the copper and 50% of the lithium needed to achieve 2035 climate targets.
Transportation of discharged batteries classified as hazardous waste is one of the costliest steps of the recycling process. Experts suggest updates to federal EPA and DOT regulations for how battery-related waste is classified.
In his opinion, battery recycling issues are even further behind than transitioning the electric grid to renewable energy sources.
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