Lithium-ion Batteries in Electric Vehicles : Sustainable to what extent?

Abstract: Increasing environmental laws and regulations regarding emissions and air and water pollution in the transport sector. These laws and regulations combined with the limitation of oil as a natural resource have contributed to research regarding alternative fuels for vehicles. The electric cars have become a strong competitor for replacing the gasoline- driven cars of today. The power for many of these electric vehicles is stored in lithium- ion batteries, who have been questioned regarding their sustainability. The purpose of this report is to provide a comprehensive view of the problematics and consequences combined with the implementation of these electric vehicles due to their lithium-ion batteries. By collecting, analyzing and discussing research covering electric vehicles and their batteries, a conclusion is drawn with sustainability as a focus. The sustainability is measured regarding economic, environmental, political and social aspects. The research used in this study is collected from KTH Royal Institute of Technology’s library, consisting of peer-reviewed papers and books, supplemented by reports from reputable independent organizations. The results of this study show that there are both positive and negative effects of the implementation of the batteries from a sustainability point of view. Changes need to be done in more sectors than the transport sector in order to make the lithium-ion batteries a sustainable solution.