An electric car battery isn’t just a heavy box – it’s a module that’s packed with essential elements and tech, processed in a way that makes electric vehicles, put simply, work.
But if we’re looking at vehicle electrification as an important part of making a greener, less wasteful world, it’s important that we understand what’s actually going into the technology that we’re rolling out. So let’s talk about what is inside an electric car battery.
What’s in an electric car battery?
The primary element used inside an average electric car battery is lithium, which we’ve written about at length before. Lithium is used to store electricity in an EV, like petrol in a normal car. Lithium is typically grouped inside of a battery through the use of ‘lithium-ion’ cells, of which there can be hundreds or thousands.
These cells contain further elements such as nickel, cobalt, managanese and graphite, though some car makers might not have these elements (for example, BYD batteries don’t have any nickel or cobalt). These elements typically require more complexity to mine, and lithium in particular requires much more water. With these added in complications, there are concerns for the environmental side effects of mining for EV-reliant materials.
Additionally, base elements such as copper, aluminium and iron are quite common in electric car batteries, as pointed out by RAC.
Is there enough lithium in the world for electric cars?
This is a point of contention among car makers, analysts and electrification advocates. Lithium isn’t particularly uncommon, and according to Chem Europe, it’s the 33rd most abundant element on Earth. However, because of its high reactivity, it’s often found in the form of compounds – as an extra element inside brines or clays.
However, is it enough for a global shift to electric cars? Well, It has been argued that some 384 new mines would need to be established internationally to meet electric vehicle demand. It has also been argued more recently by the CEO of Stellantis Carlos Tavares that Earth doesn’t have enough raw material to meet EV demand.
“Not only the lithium may not be enough, but the concentration of the mining of lithium may create other geopolitical issues,” Tavares added.
At the moment, with electric vehicle popularity still rising and demand increasing, it’s likely that supply issues will continue for some time. And with demand increasing, it’s likely that more lithium and rare earth element mines will need to be opened. Hopefully, soon, automakers can start recycling lithium in greater quantities to at least alleviate some of these concerns.
How much is a new battery for an electric car?
According to Carsales, electric car battery replacements can cost anywhere between $12,000 and $20,000, depending on the model, size and labour required. To get a more specific answer, you’d need to speak to your car’s manufacturer.
Electric car battery replacements aren’t common, but as uptake continues, we may soon see replacements as a long-term maintenance consideration of ownership.
How long will EV batteries last?
As pointed out by Carsguide, some automakers, in particular Tesla, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Nissan, all guarantee batteries for eight years, or 160,000 kms, whichever comes first. After eight years, it’s typically expected that the batteries are able to hold a charge of at least 70 per cent of the original capacity.
Some estimates suggest that batteries will last between 10 and 20 years, but we won’t really know how things will shake out until the future.