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Honest John Ask Honest John » Do people realise that lithium ion batteries, of the sort used in electrical cars, can be very damaging to the environment?

Do people realise that lithium ion batteries, of the sort used in electrical cars, can be very damaging to the environment?

A lot is being made of lithium ion battery cars and hybrids, but there seems to be a stumbling block on range and cost, and probably on environmental grounds. Lithium is one of the world’s most polluting mining-to-battery-production processes, and an eventual disposal nightmare. Top Gear showed the limitations with short range, long charge times and high replacement battery costs (£7000) after as little as three years, if regularly fast-charged.

A hydrogen-powered alternative looks more viable for longer journeys, with the hydrogen produced from seawater at offshore wind farms. The technology of LPG systems well proven. We have been running two 4x4 LandRovers on LPG for many years and there have been no problems. To me, lithium battery powered cars are a developmental dead end for mass transport, better suited only for use in malls, hospitals, airports and golf courses, added to which the charging losses from fuel to power are unrealistic. As a power systems engineer I have seen the data: using batteries charged by electricity has overall efficiencies so low that only power company accountants could smile at the data.

Asked on 30 July 2011 by JB, via email

Answered by Honest John
It's political nonsense. The EC requires a massive reduction in CO2 tailpipe emissions by 2020 and the only way to achieve that is with around 10 per cent of new cars being electric. But this conveniently ignores that most of the UK's daytime electricity is from coal and oil fired power stations as well as your point about lithium ion.

If you cover no more than 100 miles per day and have easy access to a charging point at home or work, then an EV is ideal for you.

Is an electric car right for me?
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