The Electric Vehicles (EVs) market in India has been gaining momentum with a significant increase in sales over recent years. A study by Gartner predicts that by the end of 2025, India will have 5 lakh EVs – marking a growth of 51% for the nation’s EV market. However, the question arises: as the number of EVs on our roads increase, are we being truly sustainable? We cannot ignore the challenge, which is ensuring the sustainable management of the batteries that power these vehicles. Establishing a robust EV battery recycling framework can be key here.
The Importance of a Circular Economy for Mineral Independence
By 2030, automakers aim to recycle 95% EV batteries toward powering a circular economy and tackling issues like raw material sourcing. This is welcome news, as the production of EV batteries require critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel. Given the limited domestic reserves of these minerals and the environmental impact of improper disposal of EV batteries, a well-established recycling ecosystem will be a vital step toward achieving mineral independence for India.
In addition, efficient recycling offers economic advantages. Recovering critical minerals from used EV batteries lowers dependence on imports, strengthening the country’s mineral security and protecting the industry from instabilities in the global supply chain. It also ties in well with the Critical Minerals Mission launched in India’s 2024 Budget, which aims to secure a steady supply of these resources.
Innovation and Collaboration for Optimal Battery Recycling
The NITI Aayog estimates that by 2030, 128 GWh of batteries will need to be recycled, with almost 59 GWh coming from the EV segment. Innovations from relevant stakeholders to ensure optimum resource recovery and minimize environmental impact become vital. For instance, recovering minerals using hydrometallurgy technology during the battery recycling process offers enhanced recovery rate and metal purity. Adopting non-chemical processes during mechanical shredding of batteries can work toward zero waste of essential materials.
Industry collaboration is another crucial factor; businesses across the EV value chain, from automakers and technology providers to manufacturers and recyclers of batteries, need to work together. Such partnerships will aid in leveraging expertise as well as resources to develop efficient and cost-effective recycling solutions. This will facilitate scaling up operations to meet the 95% EV battery recycling goal by 2030.
The Required Policy Push
Through initiatives like the Battery Waste Management Rules 2022, the EV30@30 campaign, and the FAME II scheme, the government has taken significant steps to promote cleaner mobility. At the same time, there is a need for further policy interventions that are aimed at EV battery recycling. These reforms, as highlighted in the recent BharatGAIN report, will help unlock India’s potential to become a hub for recycled lithium-ion batteries.
A resilient domestic battery recycling ecosystem will be instrumental in shaping electric mobility in India and reducing our carbon footprint. However, the shift to sustainable mobility cannot be actioned in isolation; it requires collaborative effort from all stakeholders to build the necessary infrastructure and establish responsible resource management. Only then can we ensure its long-term viability.
