Exploring the energy and environmental sustainability of advanced lithium-ion battery technologies

The development of battery materials and pack structures is crucial for enhancing electric vehicle (EV) performance and adoption. This study examines the impact of Ni-rich cathode materials and advanced cell-to-pack (CTP) designs on the energy and environmental sustainability of power batteries. A correlation equation that links energy consumption with curb weight and ambient temperature was established to accurately assess energy consumption during the usage stage of EVs. High-nickel, low-cobalt lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxides (NCM) batteries demonstrated superior life cycle environmental performance, primarily due to the significant environmental impacts of CoSO4 production. However, the benefits of CTP batteries over traditional cell-tomodule (CTM) batteries are minimal. In southern provinces of China, abundant clean energy for electricity generation can reduce the life cycle carbon footprint of power batteries by over 70 % compared with northern provinces, highlighting the importance of transitioning to clean energy sources for sustainable EV industry development.