It’s not like Skeptics haven’t said this before. Climate cultists are trying to solve one imaginary problem that has little to do with the environment, no matter how much they bleat, by creating a real environmental one
The International Energy Agency (IEA) said this year it’s expecting 145 million electric vehicles (EVs) worldwide by 2030. If governments ramp up efforts to meet international energy and climate goals, the number could soar even higher — up to 230 million — and that’s not counting two- and three-wheel vehicles.
That’s a lot of new cars to hit global markets. Also … a lot of batteries.
Although EVs do not release carbon dioxide during their use, their production exerts the same toll on the environment as that of conventional cars, while the recycling of lithium-ion batteries poses unique challenges.
Lithium-ion batteries are bulkier and take more space than their traditional counterpart, lead-acid batteries. To make matters worse, they’re highly flammable and even explosive if dismantled incorrectly.
In the next 10 to 15 years, there will be millions of end-of-life electric cars worldwide; by that time, recycling plants need to be ready not only to take in all those batteries, reclaim valuable parts and metals, but also to properly dispose of the waste. Sadly, not much is being done on that front: Currently, only 5% of all Li-ion batteries are being recycled.
If no action is taken, battery waste could become a big problem not only for the car industry, but also for the environment.
Five percent is a scary number. Where are these batteries going? Landfills? Think of how many smartphones are being replaced every day, because, rather than lasting 10-20 years, as they’re supposed to, planned obsolescence is built in, which means phones are replaced more often than should be necessary. What happens if auto makers do the same thing for EVs? Which probably won’t be necessary, as people tend to keep their cars 4-6 years, not 10-15 as the Warmists are supposing. But, there probably won’t be planned obsolescence, since they’ll want the vehicles sold as new. Maybe. Because if they need so much less maintenance, there’s not that much money to be made.
With these kind of operations, there’s a high probability of lithium seeping into the water supply. A similar situation occurs in highly developed areas where people improperly dispose of consumer electronics, which are more often than not powered by Li-ion batteries. Finally, it’s not just lithium that can contaminate soil and groundwater. Nickel, cobalt, manganese and other metals found in EV batteries pose an even greater threat than lithium to both human life and the ecosystem.
And the monetary reward for recycling is way less than the cost to collect and actually recycle. And let’s not forget the environmental destruction from mining and manufacturing batteries, which would have to significantly ramp up. Good times! All for a product that people are not clamoring for and mostly cannot afford.
The article that Teach presents calls for more regulations.
“The industry crucially needs regulation over recycling”
The predict 28 million tons of Li-ion batteries accumulating by 2040!
28 million tons is a lot! By comparison humans add over 40 BILLION tons of CO2 to the atmosphere EVERY friggin’ year.
Where were the Teach type environmentalists 40 years ago when it was pointed out that CO2 was causing the Earth to warm? LOL.
Where are the environmentalist’s proof that warming is bad? Warming in and of itself is irrelevant.
“Where were the Teach type environmentalists 40 years ago when it was pointed out that CO2 was causing the Earth to warm? LOL.”
Back in the 1970’s the main concern was global cooling and the possibility of a “new ice age”. Today they call it “conjecture” back then Elwood called them “experts”. They were concerned about extreme glaciation caused by aerosols and orbital forcing. There was an argument about global warming too which is why these charlatans decided on the term “global climate change”. They were trying to figure out which lie was easier to peddle.
Then in the 80’s concerns over a nuclear winter were peddled to those predisposed to being scared shitless by fakes and grifters. They were all worried about asteroid impacts and volcanic eruptions.
So in reality, 40 years ago the “experts” were between global cooling and global warming depending which way the climate confused wind was blowing. LOL.
Teach Are you the one selling those chicomithium batteries on electronics that are currently the source of the lithium in our water supply ?
If do STOP IT
Most EV batteries are considered a fail when they reach 80% of capacity
If used as an emergency power source say for a home they typically will provide emergency power for about 3 days
Currently 100% of the old batteries taken out of Prius models by Toyota dealers are recycled at the damecplant in CA thar does Tesla batteries
Lithium ion batteries are also becoming a legacy technology
In 10 years they will be obsolete in new cars
A man who sells cars for a living wrote:
I kept my 2000 F-150 for ten years, and the only reason I traded it in is that it needed some work and it was a two-wheel drive. I’d bought it when I lived in the flat land of Hampton, Virginia, but ten years later, I lives in the snow country of the Poconos. It had 193,000 miles on it when I traded it in in April of 2010.
The 2010 F-150 I bought that day? 11½ years later, I still have it, with 173,000 miles on it, and no intention of trading it in.
We’ve known about the environmental costs of batteries and building plug-in electric cars for several years, but the tunnel-visioned warmunists don’t look at that. I, like they, grew up watching Star Trek, but, unlike them, I realized that Star Trek is fiction.
I am sure those Pine-based batteries are just around the research corner. Then America will have a lock on that technology and the rest of the world will be coming to us for their wooden batteries. I remember making a battery by poking nails into a lemon. Teslas should make lemon-based batteries. Totally renewable. Just grab another case of lemons every 20 miles and plug them in.
I’m sure Elon Musk has a plan for this. All he needs are the taxpayer grants and subsidies to get started.
I use the money I make to put men on the moon and Mars by the end of the Decade. To experiment and make the world a better place. I do not spend my money buying the Washington Post or invest in political operatives to force you or anyone else to purchase an electric car.
My goal is and always has been the betterment of mankind for the good of the world in general. It is why my cars continue to reduce in costs as opposed to the other automakers who continue to gouge you with high priced vehicles that are usually replaced in a few years for the next newer model.
Remember that when you read about Jeff Bezos and his 200 billion being spent on buying up every small business on the planet and putting them out of business, or going into business to put out FedEx and UPS and to even compete with the USPS which in turn will put 100’s of thousands of people out of a job and force them to drive for him for pennies on the dollar with poor benefits.
Remember my work for the betterment of mankind with little political leaning when George Soros spends his fortune trying to turn the world into a giant playground for billionaires at the expense of the “Little man”. Remember to buy a Tesla because nothing will ensure fossil fuels more than having a billion electric cars on the planet and nowhere to charge them.
Thank you for your time and I hope to see you on Mars sometime in the next 20-30 years while my competition pays for lobbyists to charge you trillions to save you from endemics and pandemics.