Sustainable alternatives for EV battery materials are emerging to address environmental and ethical concerns:
1. Cobalt-free battery chemistries
- Organic cathode materials: MIT researchers developed a lithium-ion battery using organic materials instead of cobalt or nickel, reducing reliance on conflict-prone minerals. These batteries match cobalt-based versions in conductivity and storage capacity while enabling faster charging.
- Lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP): Though not highlighted in recent results, LFP is an established cobalt-free alternative widely used in EVs for its lower cost and reduced environmental impact.
2. Improved lithium sourcing
- Geothermal brine extraction: Projects are underway to extract lithium sustainably from geothermal brines, which could supply enough lithium without traditional mining’s ecological disruption.
3. Recycling and circular economy
- Battery circularity: Recycling end-of-life EV batteries can reduce lithium demand by 25%, nickel by 25%, and cobalt by 40% by 2050, minimizing the need for new mining.
- Material recovery: Advanced recycling methods enable recovering critical metals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel for reuse in new batteries, supported by frameworks for evaluating environmental impact.
These innovations aim to balance performance with reduced ecological and social costs, though scalability and cost-effectiveness remain key challenges.
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