The future of recycling for critical metals: The example of EV batteries
Yanyan Zhao, Gurpreet Kaur
Abstract
• The focus of EV battery recycling is on the recovery of critical metal. • Pyrometallurgy and hydrometallurgy are the main recycling routes for EV batteries. • EV battery recycling faces technical and economic challenges. • Government policies have strong impacts on EV battery recycling and reuse. Across the globe, the uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) has grown rapidly in recent years. With most EVs using lithium-ion batteries, there is a keen focus on the recovery of key battery metals: lithium (Li), nickel (Ni) and cobalt (Co), as well as graphite for the sustainable growth of the electric vehicle industry. This short review briefly introduces EV batteries, discusses EV battery recycling status and market outlook, recent technology advancement, challenges and opportunities and current government initiatives.