Electric vehicles (EVs) are gaining popularity as a more sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional cars. EVs run on electricity instead of gasoline, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. EVs also have lower operating and maintenance costs than gas-powered cars and can benefit from government incentives and tax credits.
However, the mass adoption of EVs still faces major obstacles. While the high cost of EVs, the lack of a charging infrastructure, and the car’s limited autonomy are often cited as the biggest stumbling blocks, there is another challenge that is less visible but equally important: how EVs are manufactured.
The production of EVs requires a lot of raw materials, such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, and rare earth elements, that are essential for making the batteries and motors that power them. These materials are not abundant, cheap, or easy to obtain. They often come from countries with poor environmental and human rights standards, such as China, Congo and Chile. They also pose risks for recycling, disposal, and supply chain disruptions.
According to a report by EL PAÍS, these are the four main obstacles facing electric cars in terms of their manufacturing:
- Graphite. In the lithium-ion batteries of electric cars, the negative pole is made of graphite, one of the forms in which carbon is found in nature. Graphite is mainly produced in China, where its extraction causes severe environmental damage due to water pollution and soil erosion. Graphite is also flammable and can cause fires or explosions if not handled properly.
- Lithium. EV batteries are made of lithium, which, unlike graphite, is found in very small quantities. Lithium is mainly extracted from salt flats in South America, where its mining consumes huge amounts of water and threatens local ecosystems and communities. Lithium prices have also soared in recent years due to high demand and limited supply.
- Battery recycling. It’s also important to keep in mind that an EV battery occupies the car’s entire chassis. This means that when the battery reaches the end of its life cycle, it has to be replaced or recycled. Recycling EV batteries is not easy or cheap, as it involves separating and recovering the valuable materials from the toxic ones. Currently, only about 5% of lithium-ion batteries are recycled worldwide, according to the World Economic Forum.
- Energy supply. Another challenge for EVs is how they get their electricity. While EVs do not emit tailpipe emissions, they still depend on the electricity grid for charging. This means that if the electricity comes from fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas, the environmental benefits of EVs are diminished. To make EVs truly green, they need to be powered by renewable energy sources, such as solar or wind.
These challenges do not mean that EVs are doomed or undesirable. On the contrary, they highlight the need for more innovation, regulation, and collaboration in the EV industry and beyond. Some possible solutions include:
- Developing new battery technologies that use less or different materials, such as solid-state batteries or sodium-ion batteries,
- Improving battery efficiency and durability to extend their lifespan and reduce waste.
- Creating circular economy models that reuse and recycle batteries and materials.
- Establishing ethical and transparent standards for sourcing and processing raw materials.
- Expanding and diversifying the supply chain of battery materials to reduce dependence on a few countries or companies.
- Investing in renewable energy infrastructure and smart grids to enable clean and reliable charging for EVs.
By addressing these challenges, we can overcome the biggest obstacle to electric vehicles and make them a viable and beneficial option for transportation in the 21st century.
References:
https://english.elpais.com/economy-and-business/2023-05-29/the-four-main-obstacles-facing-electric-cars.html
