What happens to the lithium and other metals? I don’t know much about this stuff so I’d appreciate to know
They can be almost 100% reused. In fact, given how valuable the metals are it would be cheaper to do so than mine for them . There are multiple companies working on this. E.g. https://www.redwoodmaterials.com/
Whether it seems crazy is evidence of unfamiliarity, not whether it is actually crazy. Is it really any crazier that continually pumping every car with juice made from literal fossils?
At least the battery is continually reusable — and at the end of its useful life, over 90% recyclable.