A clean tech company is stretching the limits of sustainable electric vehicle batteries.
Adionics announced in September that it had extracted high-purity lithium from shredded lithium-ion batteries, Hart Energy reported. The process promises to reduce lithium mining with a 98% recovery rate from black mass, which is made from discarded anode and cathode materials.
Called direct lithium extraction, it can be done at any stage of the recycling process. The liquid-liquid method does not use acid, produce toxic waste, or require overseas processing.
EVs are already great for our health, our wallets, and the planet, but even cleaner cars and batteries? That's what we're looking toward with this and other developments in battery technology.
"The new version of the Flionex represents a significant leap forward in promoting a truly circular economy for lithium-ion," Adionics CEO Gabriel Toffani said in a news release.
"The versatility, combined with the ability to process battery black mass, positions Adionics at the forefront of sustainable lithium production."
This is great news for the future of EVs, which are helping people, corporations, and governments divest from dirty energy sources — the driving force behind the heating of the planet that is pushing livable conditions out of reach around the world.
Heat waves in particular are stressing humans and wildlife, though other weather events, such as droughts and floods, displace tens of millions of people each year.
EVs produce zero tailpipe pollution and outdo internal combustion engine vehicles even with their enormous batteries. That's a common knock on the green machines, but it shouldn't be.
🗣️ If you're thinking about buying an EV, which of these factors is most likely to convince you that it's a smart decision?
🔘 Seeing friends and family buy EVs 👯
🔘 Seeing first responders use EVs 🚒
🔘 Seeing businesses use EVs 🚕
🔘 Seeing celebrities drive EVs 🤩
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
EV batteries require the extraction of millions of tons of metals from the ground, but gas-guzzlers and other carbon-heavy products and industries depend on billions of tons of coal, gas, and oil — and those fossil fuels cannot be reused, whereas batteries can be recycled at up to 95% efficiency.
So, let's work harder and faster to move away from the things that are holding us back. You can start by — and feel good about — making your next vehicle an EV.
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
