Making Resource-Efficient Batteries for Electric Vehicles

The interplay of technology and mobility is expected to bring a paradigm change in our mobility patterns. Considering the strong emphasis being laid by the government on electric vehicles (EVs), India has a huge potential of becoming one of the largest EV markets. This carves out several opportunities for automobile manufacturers, EV original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and other players in the EV value chain. However, together with these emerging opportunities, there are several existing challenges that need to be addressed in order to drive the agenda of EVs in India. In-depth understanding of key issues involved becomes extremely important, given the humongous projections by the International Energy Agency (IEA). It is estimated that passenger car ownership in India will grow by 775 per cent over the next 24 years, from the current per capita ownership of 20 per 1,000 inhabitants to 175 and overall road passenger vehicle activity increases more than six times. This article assesses the resource use and efficiency potential of batteries, a vital component which constitutes about 50% of EV costs and whether EV batteries can be given a second life in solar projects.