2024-07-31 22:00:00
Limiting greenhouse gas production requires developing technologies that do not use carbon fossil fuels. While among these renewable energies, the share of wind (kinetic energy of the wind) and solar (energy from sunlight) is increasing, it is also important to replace the fleet of thermal cars with a fleet of cars that consume less fossil fuels (hybrid/electric, hydrogen). These developments require the availability of metals. In the case of electric mobility, a large part of the metals required concern batteries.
Electric mobility relies on various metals and minerals, often referred to as “critical materials,” to manufacture key components of electric vehicles (EVs), including batteries, electric motors, and charging infrastructure. These primary resources are essential to the development and expansion of the electric mobility industry.
Lithium-ion batteries are rechargeable, allowing EVs to be charged and discharged hundreds of times over their lifetime. Lithium-ion batteries have a very high energy density that allows for an interesting range for electric vehicles, although current research is seeking to further increase the energy density of batteries to meet a need expressed by future users of electric vehicles.
Batteries depending on the electric car model can weigh from 300 kg to 800 kg for the most powerful (Tesla Model Y). This weight corresponds to the metal oxides (lithium, nickel, copper, etc.), the container (metal case) and the regulation systems, and is around 25% of the weight of the car. In the case of Li-NMC batteries, around 3 to 5 kg of lithium are required, sometimes ten times more in some Tesla models. Other types of batteries are also used by some manufacturers (lithium-iron-phosphate batteries, acronym LFP). Less expensive and less efficient, they equip entry-level cars. At the engine level, the permanent magnets of some engines contain several kilograms of rare earths. Only certain models, often high-end, are concerned (certain Tesla and BMW models for example).
From a general perspective, here is a list of primary resources and their role for Li-ion batteries of electric cars:
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batteries Li-NMC(A) : lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganèse, aluminium ;
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batteries Li-FP : lithium, fer, phosphore ;
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titanium batteries: lithium titanium oxide type Li4Ti5O12;
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to which must be added the aluminum of the external envelopes and the current collector of the positive electrode, the graphite, lithium, fluorine, and phosphorus of the electrolyte, and the copper of the collector and the connectors.
If we consider the 7 elements, some are produced in much smaller quantities (Li, Co) than those forming part of the base metals (Ni, Mn, Fe) which are produced in millions of tons.
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