Toward a Sustainable Future of Electric Vehicles: Environmental Challenges, Battery Recycling, and Policy Recommendations

Abstract

While electric vehicles (EVs) offer environmental advantages by eliminating tailpipe emissions, their lifecycle presents significant sustainability concerns. The mining of key battery materials such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel often leads to environmental degradation and human rights violations, particularly in under-regulated regions. Moreover, the global recycling rate of retired EV batteries remains alarmingly low. This paper investigates the environmental implications of EV battery production and disposal and proposes policy interventions, including enhanced recycling mandates, producer responsibility schemes, and stricter mining standards. It also advocates for material recovery targets and the use of IoT-based tracking to ensure responsible battery lifecycle management. These integrated strategies are essential to support the sustainable growth of the EV industry while mitigating environmental and social impacts.