Quote:
Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard
Josh,
To the contrary, lithium batteries are nearly as valuable as lower capacity batteries or as recycled materials. Like lead acid batteries, which have a very high recycling rate, the materials in them make it well worthwhile to recycle.
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The reason lead-acid batteries are so recycled is that there's a bounty on them (typically $5-12 each.) Lithium, NiCd, NiMH, etc. are just as recyclable, but they tend not to be because there's no incentive, and most local curbside recycling doesn't accept them.
Something to consider when building an EV: lead-acid batteries are cheaper than lithium, but they tend not to last as long. If a 1,500 pound lead-acid pack is replaced every two years, even if it's recycled, there's probably a lot more energy consumed during that lifecycle than an equivalent 500 pound lithium pack that probably lasts 4 times as long.