The ethics of electric vehicle batteries

Wednesday, 31 July 2019

Unease about the mining of materials and disposal needed for electric vehicle (EV) batteries is the elephant in the room for plug-in vehicles.

Abuses, including child labour, alleged to occur with mining of lithium, a key component in electronics, and cobalt, out of countries with controversial human rights records (Argentina and the Democratic Republic of Congo are often cited) are of concern to many customers.

The issue has been picked up by Amnesty International, which while agreeing that EVs have an important role in addressing the climate crisis, also cites that 'without radical changes, the batteries which power green vehicles will continue to be tainted by human rights abuses.'

Speaking at a media drive of the e-tron, Dean Sheed - the New Zealand boss of Audi - acknowledged the relevance of these issues.

**READ MORE:

* Audi NZ goes left of centre with its electric SUV

* What happens to EV batteries when they're worn out?

* Do all electric cars work the same?**

The e-tron is Audi's first pure-electric model, but it's the first of many. Audi is part of the Volkswagen Group, which aims to be the world's biggest producer of EVs.

​Sheed agrees the lithium-ion batteries crucial to all EVs carry baggage.

These are not dismissed by Audi, he says. The make is being proactive, with measures including being among companies that now publish sustainability data about their supply chains, which are carefully vetted.

Sheed says the subject is occasionally broached during his regular talks about EVs to industry and interest groups. He doesn't shy from sharing his thoughts.

'We have to be up front. There's no hiding away from what the components of a lithium ion battery are. The current state of play is that you have to mine it, you have to source it,' he says.

'What we can do is put parameters around the methods – about how it is extracted, about the partners that chose for that and make sure they are doing what they say they are going to do.

'You have to make sure they are doing the right things, for instance about meeting global conventions about mining. It all boils down to the strength of the process and to governance of the mining itself.

'You cannot shy away from it. You have to front-foot it.'

He is comfortable that Audi is being as responsible as it possibly can and would think any brand that didn't have the same attitude would be taking a risk as 'there are enough people staring at this topic these days and there are enough analysts and advocates around you would soon be found out.'

All the big companies have sustainability reports, he continues, 'which they publish openly. Part of those reports will be topics like this.'

As for end of life disposal? Audi's major focus is moving the mentality away from the single life of the car and reminding that there's actually a second life [for a battery] after that.

A battery that has degenerated to, say, 70 per cent capacity might not be worthy of continued use in mobility yet could still have many years' life ahead as a stationary storage project, perhaps involved in recharging a future electric car.

Sheed says that process could easily ensure a battery could maintain usefulness for 20 years. Only after that would ultimate disposal, through recycling, be addressed.

'What we want to do is draft a set of guidelines for use that the Ministry can use for legislation and to become law.'

Amnesty International has called for the industry to make 'the world's first completely ethical battery with five years.'

Potentially that call could be met by a solid-state battery, a next step that though not yet into production is already being hailed as a breakthrough.

In addition to being appealing for not having need for controversial constituents these are also favoured because they will be more compact, far more powerful, with higher density charging and potentially cheaper to produce than current types.

Volkswagen Group, of which Audi is part, is at the forefront of a billion dollar push by Germany's car industry into electromobility over the next three years to cement their future. They intend to deliver 100 electric and hybrid models by 2030 – almost three times the total count of new EVs expected to be on offer in NZ by the end of this year.

VW has plans to become the world's biggest producer of electric cars – some relying purely on batteries, others still having a fossil-fuelled engine in support - by 2025.

Among the fleet will be at least 10 Audis including the e-tron GT, a lower-slung and sportier sister model to the SUV here now that shares the same drivetrain and performance attributes as the Taycan, Porsche's first all-electric (also coming to NZ).

All are expected to have lithium ion batteries and the feasibility of any subsequently transferring to solid state batteries is uncertain.

'I don't have enough scientific background to say that five years is the right term or whether it should be seven or 10,' Sheed says.

'We'll have lithium ion for a number of years yet.

'But the philosophy of an ethical battery is something I support 100 per cent.'

He senses the argument for having EVs on the road is settled and that their place in motoring isn't simply about impression the Earth is running dry on oil.

'It's not just about oil,' says Sheed. 'It's about asking 'what's the right thing to do for the planet?' If we are focused on lowering CO2 and Greenhouse Gas emissions, not just for us but for our future generations, then we have to take action today.

'And this is something the automotive industry can do. In our country about 20 per cent of Greenhouse Gas emissions come from transport and light transport – cars, trucks and vans – account for two-thirds of that. We've got to do something. We have to play our part.'