Energy impacts in producing and recycling EV batteries
This article reports that choosing the best EV battery involves more than a quest for greater range per charge, as total energy cycle assessment of batteries demonstrates. Much has been written about the performance characteristics of electric vehicle (EV) batteries, but information about materials and the production and recycling processes is not as readily available. Such information has not been the primary focus of interest, since designs and processes are still under development, and much of the information is proprietary. An overview of four electric vehicle batteries--advanced lead/acid, sodium/sulfur, nickel/cadmium and nickel/metal hydride--highlights significant differences in energy consumption during production and recycling of materials used in the batteries. Certain realities apply to these batteries, despite their technical distinctions. First, and most obvious, the batteries will make up a significant fraction, 20--40%, of vehicle mass. Impacts are increased because some batteries with lifetimes shorter than the vehicle`s will need replacement at least once. Another insight is that battery recyclability is being considered at the design stage because the electric vehicle is being born green, that is, environmentally benign from the onset. In contrast to the small consumer cells now simply being shredded, EV batteries will be large enough to warrant disassembly and material segregation as the first step in recycling. Electrode and electrolyte materials in advanced batteries are nonstandard in the automotive industry, so process information is not readily available.
- OSTI ID:
- 215467
- Journal Information:
- Automotive Engineering, Vol. 104, Issue 2; Other Information: PBD: Feb 1996
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
29 ENERGY PLANNING AND POLICY
33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
LEAD-ACID BATTERIES
ENERGY ANALYSIS
SODIUM-SULFUR BATTERIES
NICKEL-HYDROGEN BATTERIES
NICKEL-CADMIUM BATTERIES
MANUFACTURING
ENERGY DEMAND
RECYCLING
RESOURCE CONSERVATION
ELECTRIC-POWERED VEHICLES
LIFE-CYCLE COST
ENERGY CONSUMPTION