From the gadgets that we regularly use such as our mobile phones and laptops, to the growing use of electric vehicles that have become a greener alternative for transportation, lithium-ion batteries have indeed become a core energy source of these well-known breakthroughs, as well as a pedestal of future developments. The market for the lithium industry has grown exponentially and is anticipated to expand further due to decreasing lithium-ion battery costs, while the need for expansion of energy storage systems and electric vehicles increases.

According to a study, in 2030, there will be 30 million cars on EU roads alone, and 145 million worldwide. 1,2Car makers plan to phase out conventional combustion cars after a few more decades. 2 Although electric cars are deemed to as an ‘environment-friendly’ solution to the exponentially growing air pollution crisis brought by fuel cars, they still raise a problem due to their spent EV batteries. The green benefits of EV batteries diminish as soon as they reach end-of-life. They would end up in landfills and possibly emit toxins and heavy metals from their cylindrical cells. 2 They did not pose a potential problem at first, but with the growing industry of Lithium-ion battery production due to electric vehicles, they have found to be an emerging crisis in the future. What is the afterlife of these batteries and what can be done to manage this rising problem?

The automotive industry is gradually going electric. US giant General Motors plans to phase out production and sales of conventional fuel-powered vehicles by 2035, while German-based Audi plots a full-stop production in 2033 and convert to electric automobiles. This abrupt electrification has been already widely supported by countries to reduce the consumption of non-renewable carbon fuels and diesel. In 2035, there would be an estimated 50% total conversion of global sales to electric-powered vehicles. Meanwhile, these vehicles would occupy huge batteries inside them, which contain pounds of freshly-mined materials and metals that will be increasing demand yet to be sourced.