Electric vehicle (EV) sales increased by 40% between 2019 and 2020 to a record 3 million units [9]. It is estimated that more than 10 million electric vehicles will be on the road in 2020, and the International Energy Agency predicts that this number will be between 145 million and 230 million by 2030 [8]. The electric vehicle market has seen incredible growth over the past five years or so, driven by industry and government investment and scientific support.
Compared to conventional fossil fuel vehicles, electric vehicles offer significant advantages such as reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improved urban air quality. However, these environmental benefits are overshadowed by the potential environmental waste caused by discarded lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) within a decade or two, which are referred to as "battery bombs."
Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are the most commonly used type of battery in electric vehicles, due to the fact that lithium is lightweight, long-lasting, and energy-dense. In 2017, the average battery pack in an electric car weighed approximately 250 kilograms or 550 pounds, and had a volume of half a cubic meter or 35 cubic feet. This means that if the batteries in all of the electric cars sold in 2017 were to die without any form of intervention, the resulting waste from the battery packs would reach a staggering 250,000 tons and over 17 million cubic feet. It's clear that proper measures must be taken to handle this potential waste in a sustainable manner.
The rise of electric vehicles in recent years has created a pressing demand for effective waste management strategies for their batteries. As more and more of these vehicles come into play, their batteries will eventually need to be disposed of or recycled in an environmentally conscious manner. Therefore, it is crucial that we develop systems to address this issue sooner rather than later. Without proper waste management measures, we risk creating a significant environmental impact.