China could supply EV manufacturing boom with recycled EVs
A study from Nanjing University suggests that recycling electric vehicle components could become the primary source of raw materials for China's EV manufacturing industry by 2050. The research models various battery and motor chemistries to determine the circularity potential of critical elements like lithium and cobalt.
Why it matters
As the demand for EVs grows, domestic recycling could reduce reliance on virgin material imports and mitigate supply chain volatility.
What’s old is new again China could supply EV manufacturing boom with recycled EVs Look at chemistry of batteries and motors shows big opportunity for recycling.
7 Credit: General_4530 Credit: General_4530 Text settings Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only Learn more Minimize to nav While recycling is a mathematically obvious response to the finite, non-renewable nature of many resources, the economic math is often challenging. For many materials, it can be hard to compete with virgin materials on a cost basis. Fast-moving technologies like electric vehicles throw in an added complication: By the time a car is scrapped, the industry may have moved on to a different battery chemistry. That reduces the value of recycling the car’s battery back into the production chain.
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