Does the world have enough lithium to move to electric vehicles?

Re:Does the world have enough lithium to move to electric ve... by syntaxing on Thursday January 05, 2023 @09:28AM (#34259979)

Let’s put aside the fact that a state of the art gasoline engine is about 20% efficient and an EV is about 50% efficient if you include power delivery deficiencies if we use non renewable fuel sources. What you’re stating is an infrastructure problem, not a specific EV problem. Genuinely would love to see literature how a EV increases the total carbon increase compared to a ICE vehicle.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Does the world have enough lithium to move to electric ve... by bob_theslob646 on Thursday January 05, 2023 @10:28AM (#34260985)

You don't need an academic paper to see how much carbon is used to actually manufacture a lithium ion battery that is mined versus recycled domestically in the country the car is produced. Just follow the supply chain in how the mining process works for typical batteries today.

https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/how-much-co2-emitted-manufac...!

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Does the world have enough lithium to move to electric ve... by syntaxing on Thursday January 05, 2023 @11:28AM (#34262226)

An average sedan from production to driving within its life time produces 38 metric tons of CO2 emissions compared to 16 metric tons as quoted by your article for the battery. I still fail to see how an EV is by any means dirtier than a gas car.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Does the world have enough lithium to move to electric ve... by BlueTemplar on Thursday January 05, 2023 @01:11PM (#34263964)

Copper mining is very dirty (not necesseraly C02-wise), and an EV needs 4 times more of it (IIRC) than an equivalent ICV.

[ Parent | on HN ]