According to a report, given that 70% of the components used in India’s electric car sector are now supplied from China, this dependence on China for raw materials and battery manufacture will grow. The discharge of pollutants during battery manufacturing, disposal, and charging is another issue that the study emphasises as calling for a life cycle impact assessment of the EV industry.
According to a study by the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), a think tank for economic policy, the manufacturing of electric vehicles (EVs) in India would result in a greater reliance on China for the processing of minerals, the production of raw materials, and the manufacture of batteries.
The paper also emphasises the necessity for a life cycle impact assessment of the EV industry due to the emission of pollutants during battery manufacturing, disposal, and charging.
According to the research, around 70% of the materials required to build EVs in India are imported from China and a few other nations, resulting in growing reliance on China for raw materials, mineral processing, and battery production. China presently processes more than 60% of the world’s lithium, as well as 65% of cobalt and 93% of manganese.
Moreover, China manufactures three out of every four batteries made worldwide, with over 100 Chinese battery factories producing 60% of the cathodes and 80% of the anodes used in lithium-ion cells.
The report identifies 13 issues for evaluation pertaining to the interests of consumers, industry, and the government, including high prices of these vehicles, suitability of EVs for a long journey, performance under extreme weather, increase in power demand, less suitability for public transportation, increased dependence on China, no reduction in pollution, disruption of the auto component sector, and insufficient availability of lithium.
The effect of EVs on pollution levels is one of the most important topics brought up in the paper. 12 kilogrammes of lithium, 15 kg of cobalt, 30 kg of nickel, 44 kg of copper, and 50 kg of graphite are typically used in a 500 kg lithium automobile battery.
Also, it requires 200 kg or so of plastic, aluminium, and steel, which causes contamination of the air and water during mining, transportation, and processing.
The battery has a lifespan of 6-7 years and needs to be recycled after that, which is difficult because the battery includes a lot of harmful compounds that are difficult to get rid of.
The research also expresses concern about how EVs would affect the auto component business, which includes 10,000 unorganised and 700 organised producers, as well as lakhs of stores and garages that sell spare parts, perform oil changes, and provide car maintenance.
Furthermore, as the batteries of EVs are charged with coal-generated power, which accounts for 60% of India’s electrical production, coal-generated electricity would only exacerbate pollution.
