Circular Economy of Lithium Batteries for Electric Vehicles

Abstract

The circular economy represents a modern production and consumption paradigm aimed at ensuring long-term sustainability. In the automotive sector, there is a rapid shift towards electric vehicles powered by batteries. These batteries, containing valuable metals such as lithium (Li), iron phosphate (FePO₄), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), and others, become a significant social and environmental concern after their use in electric vehicles. This study explores the technical options for end-of-life lithium batteries from electric vehicles within a circular economy framework. It aims to recommend appropriate recycling techniques based on the compositions typically found in electric vehicle batteries in Ecuador. The methodology employed was qualitative descriptive, involving the search, evaluation, and analysis of factual information. After reaching the end of their useful life, the technical options for these batteries include reuse and recycling. Reuse involves assessing their condition for potential applications in residential and industrial sectors. Recycling aims to recover metals and materials through techniques such as mechanical and chemical treatments, including direct recycling. It is concluded that there are four technical possibilities for used electric vehicle batteries. In Ecuador, most electric vehicles are equipped with lithium batteries using LFP (lithium iron phosphate) technology, thus enabling the recommendation of an effective recycling technique to recover these high-value metals.