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Environmental Life Cycle Impacts of Automotive Batteries Based on a Literature Review

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  • Christian Aichberger

    (LIFE—Institute for Climate, Energy and Society, Joanneum Research Forschungsgesellschaft mbH, Waagner-Biro-Straße 100, 8020 Graz, Styria, Austria)

  • Gerfried Jungmeier

    (LIFE—Institute for Climate, Energy and Society, Joanneum Research Forschungsgesellschaft mbH, Waagner-Biro-Straße 100, 8020 Graz, Styria, Austria)

Abstract

We compiled 50 publications from the years 2005–2020 about life cycle assessment (LCA) of Li-ion batteries to assess the environmental effects of production, use, and end of life for application in electric vehicles. Investigated LCAs showed for the production of a battery pack per kWh battery capacity a median of 280 kWh/kWh_bc (25%-quantile–75%-quantile: 200–500 kWh/kWh_bc) for the primary energy consumption and a median of 120 kg CO 2 -eq/kWh_bc (25%-quantile–75%-quantile: 70–175 kg CO 2 -eq/kWh_bc) for greenhouse gas emissions. We expect results for current batteries to be in the lower range. Over the lifetime of an electric vehicle, these emissions relate to 20 g CO 2 -eq/km (25%-quantile–75%-quantile: 10–50 g CO 2 -eq/km). Considering recycling processes, greenhouse gas savings outweigh the negative environmental impacts of recycling and can reduce the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions by a median value of 20 kg CO 2 -eq/kWh_bc (25%-quantile–75%-quantile: 5–29 kg CO 2 -eq/kWh_bc). Overall, many LCA results overestimated the environmental impact of cell manufacturing, due to the assessments of relatively small or underutilized production facilities. Material emissions, like from mining and especially processing from metals and the cathode paste, could have been underestimated, due to process-based assumptions and non-regionalized primary data. Second-life applications were often not considered.

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  • Christian Aichberger & Gerfried Jungmeier, 2020. "Environmental Life Cycle Impacts of Automotive Batteries Based on a Literature Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-27, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:13:y:2020:i:23:p:6345-:d:454666
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jarod C. Kelly & Qiang Dai & Michael Wang, 2020. "Globally regional life cycle analysis of automotive lithium-ion nickel manganese cobalt batteries," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 25(3), pages 371-396, March.
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    8. Andrea Temporelli & Maria Leonor Carvalho & Pierpaolo Girardi, 2020. "Life Cycle Assessment of Electric Vehicle Batteries: An Overview of Recent Literature," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-13, June.
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    6. Costa, Vinicius B.F. & Capaz, Rafael S. & Bonatto, Benedito D., 2023. "Small steps towards energy poverty mitigation: Life cycle assessment and economic feasibility analysis of a photovoltaic and battery system in a Brazilian indigenous community," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
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