Are Electric Car Batteries Really Eco-Friendly? Environmental Pros and Cons

The Rise of Electric Vehicles

EVs come in various forms, including hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), and battery electric vehicles (BEVs).

The EV market has exploded, supported by initiatives like the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (2020), which aims to boost adoption through tax incentives, reduced prices, and expanded charging infrastructure.

Despite their appeal, the sustainability of EVs hinges on two key factors: the environmental cost of battery production and the energy sources used to power them.

To assess whether EVs truly outshine ICE vehicles, a lifecycle analysis—covering production, operation, and disposal—is essential.

Are Electric Car Batteries Truly Eco-Friendly?

The answer isn’t straightforward. But in my opinion not, at least not yet.

While EVs offer undeniable benefits like zero tailpipe emissions and quieter streets, their environmental credentials are muddied by the realities of battery production and powering.

The extraction of lithium, cobalt, and nickel wreaks havoc on ecosystems—depleting water reserves in Chile, poisoning rivers in Tibet, and stripping land bare in Cuba.

Transporting these materials across borders adds to the carbon toll, and India’s coal-heavy grid undermines the “green” promise of EVs.

A single EV’s production emits 4 tonnes of CO2, a figure that takes years of driving to offset, assuming cleaner energy sources are used according to Reuters.

Yet, the potential for improvement exists. Recycling could reduce mining demands, though current rates lag at 5%.

Shifting to renewable energy—say, increasing renewable capacity beyond 21%—could slash operational emissions.

Innovations like low-carbon hydrogen or biofuels for processing lithium might decarbonize the supply chain, while transparent carbon footprint data from manufacturers could guide greener choices.

Environmental Cost of Battery Production

According to Bloomberg estimates, demand for lithium-ion batteries will increase tenfold over the next decade.

This surge in demand is largely driven by the global commitment of over 100 countries to achieve net zero emissions within the coming decades.https://t.co/dMpHflX0Mx… pic.twitter.com/S4WGyMHJ4C

— CarbonCredits.com (@CarbonCredits) June 30, 2024

EV batteries typically consist of lithium, cobalt, and nickel—materials with significant ecological downsides. It lacks sufficient lithium reserves and relies heavily on imports, primarily from China, adding transportation emissions to the equation.

The mining of these metals releases toxic fumes, consumes vast amounts of water, and disrupts local ecosystems.

For instance, in 2016, protesters in Tagong, Tibet, dumped dead fish from the polluted Liqui River to highlight the damage caused by the Ganzizhou Ronga Lithium mine.

Similarly, in China’s Yichun city, lithium production was paused after toxic pollutants were found in the Jin River, a vital water source.

A 2021 lifecycle analysis revealed that 46% of an EV’s carbon emissions stem from production, compared to just 26% for ICE vehicles.

Manufacturing a single electric car emits nearly 4 tonnes of CO2, requiring at least 8 years of use to offset initial emissions by approximately 0.5 tonnes annually.

Moreover, mining isn’t unique to EVs—smartphones and laptops also rely on these metals—but the scale of EV battery production amplifies the impact.

Water Usage Comparison

Efforts to mitigate this include battery recycling, with companies like Nissan repurposing EV batteries for factory use and Volkswagen establishing recycling plants.

Yet, only 5% of global batteries are recycled due to high costs and inefficiencies, leaving most to pile up in landfills.

The Powering Dilemma

61% of electricity comes from thermal sources, predominantly coal, which generates 60% of the nation’s emissions according to India’s Ministry of Coal.

Importing coal—the country is the world’s second-largest coal importer—further increases the carbon footprint.

Aging power plants and underutilized capacity exacerbate the problem, while renewable energy accounts for just 21% of India’s installed power capacity as of 2021.

Without a shift to cleaner energy, EVs may simply transfer emissions from tailpipes to power plants.

Energy Mix (2021)

Pros and Cons of EV Batteries

The Bigger Picture

This EV push operates in two phases: stimulating consumer demand and scaling up production. Policies like tax exemptions and R&D incentives aim to localize manufacturing, but challenges persist.

Lithium prices have soared 70% since January 2022, and the Russia-Ukraine war has disrupted nickel supplies (Russia provides 20% of the world’s nickel), potentially driving EV prices up by 8% in the coming year according to some reports.

This rising demand could accelerate the depletion of finite resources like lithium, cobalt, and nickel, leading to more indiscriminate mining and further environmental degradation.