Where do we put the batteries for plug in cars in the coming years?

[VirginiaProgressive]

I am all for plug in cars.

But this article had me thinking about that question people in the media keep bringing up - where do we put the batteries?
http://features.csmonitor.com/innovation/2009/03/13/electric-cars-charge-ahead/

are they toxic?
Aren't there tons of other things that can't be compressed down and we just have to put them in landfills? I know its not the greatest thing ever...

Are there any other ideas/technology out there to get these batteries to be not only smaller but also biodegradable?

[harun]

1. I think the Lithium Ion batteries are not toxic and for the most part

are able to be recycled.

[OKIsItJustMe]

2. It depends on the battery type

Lead-acid batteries are a problem, so are NiCd.

NiMH and Li-ion are much friendlier, but why would we just throw away those valuable resources?

In any case, if you assume we're just throwing away the batteries, you should also assume we're just throwing away the cars (with the batteries in them.) Times have changed (thank God!) from the 70's when we just had huge fields of dead cars. Now, junk yards are "http://www.a-r-a.org/">automotive recycling centers."

[VirginiaProgressive]

7. thanks

thanks a lot for this informative post. Actually, one of my republican friends just came in and started talking about this after seeing the story I posted on facebook about plug in cars. Now I can give him an informed response!

[OKIsItJustMe]

11. You're welcome

Always remember, conservative means resistant to change.

Typically, a conservative will come up with some sort of rationalization to explain their aversion to change. (i.e. EV's are bad because rechargeable batteries are toxic.) At heart though, conservatives are just suspicious of any change.

[VirginiaProgressive]

6. any news story backing that up?

any reseach/facts to back that up? Like a news story? I'd like to read more about it.

Also, are lithium ion batteries what the car companies are leaning towards?

[harun]

14. Not a whole lot of good articles on this but here is one:

"Lithium-ion batteries are already very recyclable and show very little toxicity."

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/03/lithium-ion-battery-breakthrough-mit-fast-charge-seconds-supercapacitors.php?dcitc=TH_sbr_cars

I heard them say this on a show I was watching about electric cars and how Lithium Ion was one of the friendlier battery types. How that converts in to recycling these batteries to be used again is the real question that I have yet to see comprehensively answered.

[BlueJac]

3. Don't let them scare you.......

they are all for nuclear power plants.

[OKIsItJustMe]

4. Who is/are "them?"

(Just curious who you're warning about.)

[OKIsItJustMe]

5. Biodegradeable batteries

Actually…

http://arstechnica.com/old/content/2007/08/scientists-create-paper-thin-flexible-biodegradable-battery.ars

[VirginiaProgressive]

8. nice find there!

That's cool, very cool.

[OKIsItJustMe]

12. Carbon nanotubes seem to be magic

They seem to do everything but "cure the common cold!"

[Gogi]

9. The deep cycle batteries in my wheelchair are refurbished (I guess that's the word)...

and re-used, I don't see why car batteries can't be, too.

[OKIsItJustMe]

10. Yup, since you call them "deep cycle" I assume they're "lead-acid"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_cycle_battery
Lead-acid batteries can be "refurbished." Other sorts can be recycled.

[tinrobot]

13. Toyota already pays for old batteries and recycles them

Toyota puts a phone number on each Prius/Hybrid battery, and they pay a $200 "bounty" for each battery to help ensure that it will be properly recycled.

I believe Honda and Ford have similar programs.

[OKIsItJustMe]

15. Recycling of lithium ion cells and batteries

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0378-7753(01)00600-0

Copyright © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Recycling of lithium ion cells and batteries

Michael J. Lain

AEA Technology Batteries, Culham Laboratory, Oxon OX14 3ED, UK

Received 6 June 2000;
accepted 11 December 2000
Available online 3 July 2001.

Abstract

A new process for recycling lithium ion cells and batteries is described. In order to gain maximum value, the process aims to recover every component from the cell. In contrast with existing recycling processes, the AEA Technology process operates at ambient temperatures. There are three main stages; electrolyte extraction, electrode dissolution, and cobalt reduction. The technology is currently in development, with a demonstration unit linking the process stages together in active operation. Based on the projected quantities of lithium ion batteries available for recycling in the next few years, there is a significant market opportunity for a successful technology.

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