Economic, Technical and Environmental Aspects of Recycling Lithium Batteries: A Literature Review

In the last few years, the automotive industry has been moving towards fuel-free and economically sustainable alternatives, motivated by the latest trends in the market and new regulations about CO2 emissions. Hybrid and electric vehicles feature a transmission drive with one or more electrical motors powered by Lithium batteries. Thus, Lithium batteries are increasingly used in onboard energy storage systems, leading new economical, technical and environmental challenges which are of fundamental importance in this early stage for the next automotive generation. Recycling materials from used Lithium batteries can also moderate the price of virgin materials, by reducing the price disposal as well as the dependence of manufacturers on exporting countries. Furthermore, recycling Lithium-ion batteries has significant environmental benefits, such as containing the risk of chemical pollution and improving safety in storage facilities for exhausted batteries worldwide. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive insight on Lithium-ion battery recycling for scientific research and industrial applications, examining the economic, technical and environmental aspects of this topic.