The Environmental Impact of Lithium-ion Batteries and Alternatives

Abstract

Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming an integral part of modern transportation, offering lower operating costs, reduced emissions, and lower noise levels. As the number of electric vehicles increases, the demand for reliable energy storage will also increase. These energy sources are largely lithium-ion batteries. They support grid stability of electricity systems, portable electronics, and residential storage. Lithium-ion technology is a high-performance solution. However, its production, usage, and end-of-life have an impact on the environment and health. A thorough analysis of energy, CO? emissions, and economic variables is missing. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is already an established approach for calculating environmental impacts from the extraction of a resource to its disposal. More and more, with the help of advanced software and environmental awareness, LCA is used in the automotive. Battery capacities of electric vehicles (EVs) are improving and their prices are falling, making them competitive with internal combustion engine (ICE) two-wheelers. But, there are trade-offs with emissions, resource use, and toxicity. This paper presents the LCA (life cycle assessment) results for EVs, buses, and trains compared with ICE variants using five different electricity generation mixes. The results inform policymakers, producers, and consumers on the environmental performance and future potential of EV technology.