Resource Issues surrounding Traction Lithium-ion Batteries

Abstract

With the spread of next-generation automobiles, the demand for traction batteries such as lithium-ion batteries (LIB) is increasing. Although many studies have evaluated the environmental impacts of mineral resources on the manufacture of traction lithium-ion batteries from the viewpoint of life cycle, studies considering the disturbances on the lithosphere are limited. Here, we evaluate resource use in the process of manufacturing traction lithium-ion batteries using the total material requirement, which is an indicator for quantifying the amount of mining activity.