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Batteries

Sustainable Battery Manufacturing Practices Crucial for Electric Vehicle Industry

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Research from SRM University highlights the need for sustainable battery manufacturing practices, particularly in sourcing critical elements like lithium, nickel, manganese, and cobalt. The study evaluated the environmental and energy impacts of recycling nickel-manganese-cobalt oxide (NMC) cathodes from spent lithium-ion batteries compared to primary extraction of these metals from nickel lateritic ores. The results indicate that recycling is the more sustainable option, offering higher yields with significantly lower energy demands and reduced environmental burdens.

Key Takeaways:

  • Recycling nickel-manganese-cobalt oxide (NMC) cathodes from spent lithium-ion batteries is a more sustainable option than primary extraction of these metals from nickel lateritic ores.
  • Recycling reduces the global warming potential by 94% compared to primary extraction, with a global warming potential of 5.97 kg CO2-eq per kilogram of NMC cells.
  • The cumulative energy demand for primary extraction is 20-fold higher than recycling, requiring 1415.2 MJ compared to 70.5 MJ.
  • The transition to cleaner, renewable energy sources can further reduce the environmental impacts of recycling processes by up to 30%.
  • Recycling also conserves finite mineral resources and accelerates the shift toward a circular and sustainable battery economy.
  • The study highlights the essential role of recycling in decreasing reliance on virgin raw materials and promoting sustainable battery manufacturing practices.
  • The results of the study can inform policymakers, industry leaders, and researchers in developing more sustainable battery technologies and supply chains.

Statistics:

  • Global warming potential: 5.97 kg CO2-eq per kilogram of NMC cells (recycling) versus 109.9 kg CO2-eq (primary extraction)
  • Cumulative energy demand: 1415.2 MJ (primary extraction) versus 70.5 MJ (recycling)
  • Reduction in global warming potential: 93.6% (recycling vs. primary extraction)
  • Increase in cumulative energy demand: 20-fold (primary extraction vs. recycling)
  • Potential reduction in environmental impacts with transition to renewable energy sources: up to 30%

Sources:

  • Material Feasibility and Environmental Impacts of Critical Metals In Nmc Cathodes Under a Sustainable Framework for Electric Vehicles. Sustainable Energy & Fuels, 2025;9(18):4933-4943.
  • Sustainable Energy & Fuels can be contacted at: Royal Soc Chemistry, Thomas Graham House, Science Park, Milton Rd, Cambridge CB4 0WF, Cambs, England.
  • Pankaj Pathak, SRM University Ap, Dept. of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Resource Management Lab, Amaravati 522240, Andhra Pradesh, India.
  • Additional authors: Nidhi Pandey, Gopa Nandikes, Sadia Ilyas, and Rajiv Ranjan Srivastava.

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