The use of combustion-independent electric cars (EVs) has drawn more attention from across the globe in the automotive industry. Because Li-ion batteries are used in EVs, which were before thought to be an excessively pricey and ambitious project, EVs are becoming more and more commonplace. While a great deal has been written about the subject of lithium ion batteries, no review that addresses the technology’s recent developments from an industrial, technical, and economic standpoint has yet to be published. Aspects like the adoption of cloud-based systems with deep learning capabilities, changes in international legislation, and new EV-based lithium ion battery electrode materials are covered in detail. There is discussion of suggestions to deal with the problems facing the market for lithium ion batteries used in electric vehicles. To further guarantee the lithium ion battery-EV industry’s success in the near future, recommendations for short-, medium-, and long-term goals are offered. A conclusion that can be drawn from this assessment of the literature is that there is still much space for progress in the field of EV-based lithium ion batteries, and that they will likely be a hot topic for some time to come.
An Overview of Electric Vehicles
It is necessary to comprehend the significance of EVs in order to appreciate the role that lithium ion batteries play in them. In the past, EVs were first made available in order to combat the energy problem in the early 1970s. EVs served as an environmentally beneficial substitute for cars that ran on oil, providing a means of running an engine that was just as efficient as one that ran entirely on electricity. EV purchases were not very appealing at the time because of their high price. However, the market for buying comparatively more affordable EVs has gradually shifted in the 2000s as a result of technological breakthroughs and increased awareness about climate change. For example, Audi declared at the beginning of 2023 that by 2029, every vehicle in their inventory would be an electric vehicle. Furthermore, businesses like Honda and General Motors are pledging to pursue comparable objectives.
The US is one of the countries that uses EVs the most, and its use has grown over the years as a result of government incentives and EVs’ falling costs. For instance, in order to get completely zero emissions, stricter emission rules are being advocated in California. By 2025, California hopes to have 1.5 million electric vehicles on the road, with a $2500 tax credit for each vehicle’s owner. Several states in the United States, including New York, Georgia, and Washington, have been offering various tax breaks. For example, buying an EV can result in a sales tax surge of up to 6.5% in Washington. China has been demonstrating a significant desire to advocate for alternative automobiles outside of the US as a result of the growing pollution issues in densely populated places. Indeed, as of 2021, 3.2 million EVs had been sold globally, which represents more than half of all EVs ever sold. Japan likewise established a lofty target (the Revitalisation Strategy) to have 50–70% of all automobile sales be electric vehicles by 2030. In Japan, certain tax breaks were also implemented, even following the historic 2011 Tōhoku earthquake.
Even with these incentives that have fueled the electric vehicle (EV) market’s rapid growth, there are still a number of issues that are primarily related to their batteries. For instance, the nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd), zinc/chlorine (Zn/Cl2), and nickel-zinc (Ni-Zn) batteries found in current battery systems typically have poor charging capabilities. Additionally, their low battery life causes users to experience inconvenience. Unwanted losses of energy, money, and annoyance result from these problems. An alternate option in the form of lithium ion batteries has been suggested to counter this.
An Alternative Battery Source: Lithium-Ion Batteries
History of Interest in Lithium-Ion Batteries for Electric Vehicles
There was some research done on the viability of using lithium ion batteries for electric vehicles during the aforementioned 1970s. Nissan’s 1997 launching of the EV Altra vehicle marked the start of this trend. However, because of its high price ($50.99), it had poor sales at first. Actually, there were only ever 139 units sold. But later on, there was a stronger push from the industry to improve their operational effectiveness and lower the overall cost. Large-scale automakers started integrating lithium ion batteries into their cars after a while of steady progress. In the present era, there is a growing awareness of the market share of lithium ion batteries for electric vehicles. For instance, because of improvements in their capacities, lithium ion batteries are being used more frequently in the US market. Additionally, it is anticipated that by 2030, lithium ion battery-powered electric vehicles (EVs) would account for 64% of all light vehicle sales, which will translate to 24% of all owned light vehicles. It is estimated that over 37% of vehicles on the road will be lithium ion battery-powered EVs, even in China, which accounts for over 50% of the global EV industry at the moment.
Lithium-Ion Batteries' Benefits for Electric Vehicles
But it’s crucial to comprehend lithium ion batteries’ electrochemical properties in order to fully comprehend why people are drawn to them. As stated earlier, the energy density capacity of lithium ion batteries is very good. This is mostly because of its high cathodic-to-anodic energy storage capacity (3842 mAh of power for 1 g of Li). Lithium ion batteries significantly outperform other types of batteries, such as lead acid, nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd), and sodium-sulfur (Na-S) batteries. It is evident that alternative battery types tend to function poorly despite whatever perceived advantages they may have. That makes sense because, in comparison to lithium ion batteries, their technologies are more advanced.
Lithium-Ion Batteries' Reasons for Being in Electric Vehicles
Today's inventory of electric vehicles includes big-rig tractor trailers that run at least partly on electricity, as well as cars, transit buses, and trucks of all sorts.
There are three primary categories for electric vehicles:
The electricity in a battery pack powers battery-electric cars.
In plug-in hybrid vehicles, an electric motor, a sizable rechargeable battery, and a gasoline or diesel engine are combined.
In order to generate electricity to power the motor, fuel cell vehicles divide electrons from hydrogen molecules. These days, electric vehicles are more than simply passenger automobiles; you might ride an electric transport bus that zips from New York to Mississippi. In 2021, residents of California welcomed the nation’s first electric fire truck. In the years to come, residents can expect to see electric sanitation trucks silently cruising through neighbourhoods collecting trash and recyclables, as well as electric postal trucks and an increasing number of other electric vehicles transporting mail and packages pollution-free from warehouses to homes.
Our lives and the environment are being preserved by electric cars.
In the US, transportation is the main cause of climate pollution.
We must increase the cleanliness of the cars on our roads in order to address the climate emergency. The next ten years will be crucial in transforming our energy consumption patterns and mitigating the most severe effects of global warming.
Not only do vehicle and truck emissions harm the environment, but they also harm human health. Air pollution from cars running on gasoline and diesel contributes to early death, cancer, bronchitis, and asthma.
Localized air pollution has lifetime health implications, manifesting as lung disease, heart issues, and asthma attacks. According to Rashmi Joglekar, a staff scientist with Earthjustice’s Toxic Exposure & Health Programme, “a striking association between long-term exposure to harmful fine particulate matter and COVID-19 mortality in the United States” was revealed in a Harvard University study. Engines that run on gasoline or diesel are one of the main sources of PM2.5 (fine particulate matter pollution).
A different Duke University study emphasized the health costs: up to $3.80 in environmental and health expenses are associated with every gallon of gasoline consumed at the petrol station. Diesel used in large trucks and agricultural machinery is far more harmful to the environment and human health, costing an extra $4.80 per gallon.
Whatever the source of your electricity, electric cars have a lower carbon impact than gasoline-powered vehicles.
Electricity grids, which draw from a variety of sources including clean renewable energy and fossil fuels, provide the electricity needed to charge and power battery electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
There are differences in energy grids between states, therefore driving an electric car has varying carbon footprints depending on where the electricity comes from.
While Earthjustice lawyers are working nationwide to achieve 100% clean energy, some electricity in this nation will still be produced by burning fossil fuels. This is despite the fact that renewable energy consumption has just overtaken coal.
The excellent news? Even when the electricity originates from the dirtiest grid, electricity is generally cheaper and cleaner when used as a fuel for automobiles since electric vehicles are more effective at converting energy to power cars and trucks.
According to a study conducted by scientists at the Union of Concerned Scientists, when you run electric or hybrid automobiles on the grid in any state results in fewer greenhouse gas emissions than running cars fueled by gasoline. And the advantages of electric cars grow as states streamline their energy systems.
To find out how clean your local emissions of electric vehicles are, check out the “How Clean is Your Electric Vehicle?” online tool. Based on your ZIP code and the make and model of your electric vehicle, you may receive a customized report that details the amount of carbon pollution you will be able to save.
Electric vehicles are more environmentally friendly over their whole lives.
Because the massive lithium-ion batteries in electric cars take a lot of energy and materials to assemble, the production process for these vehicles will result in higher greenhouse gas emissions than that of a typical gasoline vehicle. (A mid-sized electric car with an 84-mile range, for instance, produces 15% higher emissions during production.)
But once the cars are moving, the energy situation completely changes.
After driving for a maximum of 18 months, electric vehicles offset their higher manufacturing emissions, and they outperform gasoline automobiles until the end of their useful lives.
According to studies by the Union of Concerned Scientists, the typical electric car on the road now emits the same amount of greenhouse gases as a car that gets 88 miles per gallon, which is far more than the average new gasoline-powered car (31 mpg) or truck (21 mpg).
