Ecobalance of Li-ion rechargeable batteries for electric cars better than expected

摘要

Battery powered electric cars will most likely play a major role in the future of mobility. What was not known so far, however, was how environmentally friendly the manufacture, operation and disposal of the rechargeable batteries are. Researchers from Swiss interdisciplinary research and services institution for material sciences and technology development EMPA have for the first time calculated the ecological footprint of the most commonly used type, the lithium-ion battery. The result is better than expected - a conventional car with a petrol engine must consume less than 4 liters of fuel per 100 km or about 70 mpg (miles per gallon) in order to be as environmentally friendly as modern electric cars.