Are EVs Really Green? The Environmental Challenges Of Electric Vehicles

Introduction

India's EV industry is flourishing with the government's support and initiatives. While we're basking in this boom, though, it's very crucial to step back and think if EVs are actually sustainable and what sort of environmental issues they may come with. We are all well aware that EVs are excellent at reducing air and noise pollution, but we cannot overlook the massive challenges of this seismic shift. The Indian EV industry is forecasted to boom, reaching a staggering $113.99 billion by 2029, as estimated by Fortune Business Insights and the battery industry is projected to soar, from $16.77 billion in 2023 to $27.70 billion in a mere five years. The government is even planning for 30% of all cars to be electric by 2030 (under its initiative EV30@30). But the real big question is: are we prepared for this expansion? Do we have good facilities and mechanisms in place for coping with all the old batteries when they become redundant? And what about the environmental footprint of extracting all the stuff used to create those batteries? If we have to adopt this electric revolution, we need to answer these hard questions to ensure our future is really green. This article takes a look at the possible environmental risks of EVs, specifically battery manufacturing, end-of-life disposal, and the impending e-waste epidemic, to check if India is actually ready for a complete EV revolution.

The challenges and hidden costs of electric vehicles

EVs may have zero emissions from the tailpipe, but their path from factory to scrap heap has some environmental impact.

Battery Manufacturing: Where do all these materials come from?

EV batteries rely on ingredients like lithium, cobalt, nickel, and graphite and it is not a clean operation to get these materials out of the ground. These are extracted through mining which may cause deforestation, contaminate water resources, and emit a lot of carbon. Further, it takes a tremendous amount of energy to produce EV batteries. Hard to believe, but it turns out that producing an EV can actually create more pollution than producing a traditional ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) car. Of course, EVs can recover from this advantage over time with cleaner driving, but that up-front environmental cost is significant. It is worth mentioning that India sources about 70% of its batteries through imports, however, the government is making a big push to produce its own batteries to reduce the dependency on imports & strengthen the supply chain and emerge as one of the major global battery producers through various incentive schemes.

Battery Disposal: What Happens When They Die?

Lithium-ion batteries don't last forever, their life span is typically 8 to 10 years, and after that they become hazardous waste. If not disposed of properly, the hazardous chemicals can seep into the ground and water. Recycling is the solution, naturally, but it's not simple or inexpensive, and India is desperately short of facilities to recycle all the EV batteries that will be accumulating shortly. India faces a significant challenge in battery recycling due to the absence of a comprehensive nationwide disposal and recycling program managed by authorized agencies. Approximately 90% of the used batteries in India, primarily lead-acid types rather than lithium-ion, are either handled by the unregulated sector or discarded in landfills and garbage dumps. This situation poses not only an environmental issue but also a risk to human health.

Charging Up: Where does the power come from?

One more point to consider in India is that we still generate most of our electricity by burning coal. So, until we transition to cleaner fuels such as solar or wind, EVs' environmental advantages aren't as big as they could be. They are better than ICE vehicles, but the carbon footprint is still there.

Trapped with imports:

India relies heavily on imports for battery components – lithium, cobalt, name it. We import nearly 70% of our requirements, primarily from China, Japan, and South Korea. This exposes us to price increases and supply chain disruptions.

Limited Indigenous companies

While India is beginning to manufacture batteries, we're not yet where we need to be in terms of being able to actually produce the battery cells themselves. Some firms are attempting to do so, but we're far from there. The government is attempting to promote local manufacturing, but slowly.

Batteries are expensive

India lacks a significant amount of lithium and cobalt, which are the primary ingredients for batteries. Therefore, we must import them, which costs an arm and a leg. The battery in an electric vehicle costs around 40% of the total car's value as a result it becomes inaccessible to most people.

The e-waste time bomb

India is already grappling with an enormous e-waste problem, and EV batteries are going to make it exponentially worse. India is already a large generator of electronic waste in the world. And we don't recycle it very well. Much of it goes to the informal sector, where it's not handled safely, leading to pollution and health issues. The regulations on e-waste management in India must be tighter, and we must enforce them better. We must also provide more incentives for companies to make batteries recyclable more easily.

Batteries recycling

It is difficult to recycle EV batteries, and we don't have enough such recycling plants in India. Even the few that we do have will not be able to process the large quantity of batteries that will need to be recycled in the years to come.

So, Are We Ready for EVs?

India aims for 30% of all cars to be electric by 2030 – that's ambitious! But we've got a lot of work to do before we can achieve it in a sustainable way. Unless we learn how to recycle EV batteries properly, the environmental gains from going electric could be negated by the harm caused by e-waste. Further, our reliance on foreign battery parts is a significant vulnerability. We must build our own manufacturing base and gain access to raw materials.

What can we do to join the EV revolution?

To jump on the bandwagon of the EV revolution, each of us should play our part to make this vision a reality.

• Make EVs Affordable
• Build More Recycling Plants
• Make batteries reusable
• Support Local Manufacturing
• Switch to Clean Energy
• Get Everyone Involved

The Bottom Line

EVs can play a significant role in the battle against climate change, but they are not a silver bullet. India must tackle these issues head-on with great policies, investment in recycling, and a commitment to clean energy. Only then can we be confident that the path to an electric future is truly sustainable.

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Sources-

EV battery recycling in India - Opportunities and challenges - Clean Mobility Shift

Powering the future: Why India must localise EV battery production • EVreporter