The Hidden Emissions from EV Batteries

Many believe that electric cars (EVs) are better for the environment because they do not burn gasoline and release pollutants into the atmosphere. However, this is only partially true. The creation of EV batteries poses a lot of environmental destruction, similar to the environmental impacts from an internal-combustion car.

The process of EV battery manufacturing begins with the extraction of rare-earth metals. This step in the battery-making comprises about 40% of the entire CO2 emissions caused by EV production. A major component of EV batteries is the element lithium, which is in finite supply. Rare-earth metals are also needed in these batteries, which include cobalt, copper, nickel, aluminum, and in some cases, manganese. Graphite in its non-metal form is also required. The rare-earth metal extraction process is not very efficient: large chunks of land have to be moved so that a small amount of materials can be obtained.

Unfortunately, in countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the abundant cobalt reserves are usually extracted by workers who include children. Additionally, these workers have very little, if any, protective equipment. While the 2024 EU Battery Regulation is working to keep child labor levels low, the problem continues.

After the raw materials are extracted, they need to be further manufactured to be usable in the battery. This stage in the process needs a lot of energy, and the facilities where this process happens is usually in places with coal-fired electricity. The lithium, for example, has to go through many heating and cooling phases before reaching its desired form, either lithium hydroxide or lithium carbonate.

The next step involves creating the cells that will go into the battery. The cells are the most basic power unit of the battery. These cells work in groups known as modules, and the modules work together to make the battery work. There are three different types of battery cells, with one of the more common types being cylindrical cells. These cells, used by companies like Tesla, are shaped like large AA batteries. They do well at spreading and managing heat. Among other things, the production of cells involves combining different materials, and this requires clean rooms and very specific temperatures, with large amounts of electricity needed for both of these criteria to be met. Specifically, the first charge of EV batteries when they are manufactured is a cause for much of the energy consumed in the entire battery-making process. A roughly 60 kWh EV (the capacity of the battery is measured in kilowatt hours) can release anywhere from 9-12 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

Additionally, it is important to consider charging grids when the EV is actually out on the road. Charging from grids that rely on renewable energy, such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power will help to decrease the overall CO2 emissions from EVs. However, EV owners charging their cars from grids that use natural gas or coal are adding to emissions created from the production process.

To be fair, EVs are better for the environment than gas-burning vehicles. By 15,000 to 20,000 miles driven, most EVs will offset their carbon emissions from the manufacturing process. However, at the end of the day, they still depend on nonrenewable resources that will eventually become depleted. What's more, if the world completely shifts to using EVs, lithium and important rare-earth metals will be depleted too quickly to continue battery creation.