China’s EV Market Is Booming. There’s Just One Problem
China is facing a significant waste management challenge as the first wave of electric vehicle batteries reaches the end of its life cycle. While the country has built recycling capacity, much of the supply is handled by uncertified recyclers, leading to environmental contamination.
Why it matters
The sustainability of the EV transition depends heavily on the ability to safely and profitably recycle lithium-ion batteries at scale.
Annual sales of battery-powered vehicles in China, including fully electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, have surged from about 1 million in 2018 to more than 16 million in 2025. With EV batteries typically lasting about eight years, the country is entering its first major wave of battery retirements.
The number of batteries requiring disposal or reprocessing is expected to grow rapidly in the years ahead. That poses a major waste-management and recycling challenge for the nation.
China reported 400,000 metric tons of EV battery waste last year. A joint study by researchers in China and the United States projected that the figure could grow to 1.69 million metric tons in 2030 and 22.39 million metric tons by 2040.
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