[Leaf to Lightning : )]

CNBC this morning had a guest on who argued the future BATTERY SUPPLY issues, including the negatives surrounding mining, escalating costs, and WHERE the metals come from: CHINA

I see his point, and it has come to my mind also, as more and more manufacturers announce more and more EVs on the way - the question of 'where' will all this metal and chemical makeup come from, which can seem disturbing. If we decide to try to mine here in the U.S., though, it becomes a political and environmental argument: 'Not in MY back Yard'.

We'll have to see how this pans out, over time, Others who know more about the specific metals and chemicals can weigh in on this better than I, but it does cause me pause. I can see, though, that building a vehicle with a fixed asset(battery) for the power pack is more of a 'one time' action, whereas the normal ICE vehicle built over the last century has not only the metals needed to build the asset(engine), but then ALSO the daily need for the FUEL to power it, which also has to come from 'somewhere' on this planet, constantly. The positive nature of the EV is that the battery is static, and the only 'fuel' it needs is electricity, which is produced at a much more efficient delivery, over the long term.

 

[jodgey]

It’s a real concern. Especially if China flexes its advantage. They not only have the metals but a lot of our manufacturing. These battery plants I. Kentucky and Tennessee, are they raw material processing plants or final assembly plants? In which case whomever we rely on to get inputs to those battery will have the advantage.
and if China wants to put 1.4 billion people in EVs before they allow others to, it could get ugly.
To your point on powering, we currently require coal/natural gas (with an increasing percentage of renewables) to generate the electricity as well. But, to your point, the point of generation, a power plant vs millions of individual cars, can have more controlled and monitors air pollution control devices. Once you put gas in the tank, its open loop, no control on process or efficiency. But a power plant has and can have means to regulate the contaminants.

 

[THEsocalledfan]

Am I on the only one who finds it hysterical that many who are all for EV adoption also are against mining the minerals need to build the batteries in the USA? You simply can't make it up. Minnesota, for example, has the opportunity to really get the needed minerals produced right here....

Biden administration cancels leases for controversial copper-nickel mine near Boundary Waters

The move likely kills the copper-nickel project, but Twin Metals said the decision was politically motivated and vowed to fight it.

www.startribune.com

.

Yes, there are risks, but folks need to realize unless everyone rides a bike, these are the trade-offs.

 

[Leaf to Lightning : )]

To your point on powering, we currently require coal/natural gas (with an increasing percentage of renewables) to generate the electricity as well. But, to your point, the point of generation, a power plant vs millions of individual cars, can have more controlled and monitors air pollution control devices. . .

right, I think that the ability to produce massive amounts of power in a controlled environment is the better option, and probably much more efficiently, than having to power each individual vehicle with a liquid fuel, not to mention the increases emissions due to each vehicle having it's own output.

While I don't have, or purchase, an 'electric vehicle'(which, by the way, is really a BATTERY powered vehicle) because I want to save the earth, if that's really a thing, or even to reduce maintenance, it's about just enjoying a 'better' way to transport yourself from one location to another, with no engine running, or idling, no oil or fuel required, and a very QUIET ride. Our neighborhoods and roadways will start to get a lot quieter as we progress in this transition. It won't happen quickly, but neither did the acceptance and transition to the GAS engine, from steam and battery power. They had the SAME questions we have today: "WHERE do we get this so called 'gas' to put into this new machine???" "What happens if it runs OUT of this fuel???" "Who knows how to WORK on one of these new machines???" etc.....

 

[ChasingCoral]

I recently listened to a really good podcast series on finding lithium for electric cars and other batteries. If this is something that interests you, I encourage you to listen to:

How We Survive

How do you live in a place that wasn’t meant for development? And should we even try? The climate crisis is here, and we’re looking for solutions.

www.marketplace.org