Ascend Elements survey reveals that many misconceptions remain around EV battery recycling

Electric vehicle battery recycling is a booming industry – and the key to lowering the carbon footprint of EVs – but nearly half of Americans mistakenly believe lithium-ion EV batteries are destined for landfills. A new study commissioned by Ascend Elements found that 47 percent of Americans think EV batteries cannot be recycled. More than one-third (37 percent) of Americans don't understand that recycled lithium-ion battery materials can be used to make new EV batteries. Only 39 percent of Americans understand that the critical materials in lithium-ion EV batteries can be recycled over and over without performance loss. The study was conducted by an independent research firm to survey a random sample of 1,004 U.S. consumers about their beliefs and attitudes regarding battery technology and electric vehicles. The margin of error for the survey is +/- three percent at the 95 percent confidence level. 

"We've encountered many myths and misconceptions about electric vehicles and, in particular, EV battery recycling," says Roger Lin, VP of marketing and government relations at Ascend Elements. "The industry has made terrific advances in the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of lithium-ion battery recycling, but these false narratives about EV batteries continue. We are changing that by creating an infrastructure that would make it unthinkable to let a lithium-ion battery go to landfill. They are just too valuable."

According to the study, more than half (53 percent) of Americans say their attitude toward EVs is more positive than it was just three years ago.

• 46 percent say electric vehicles will outsell gasoline-powered cars in their lifetime. 
• 59 percent say electric vehicles (EVs) are better for the environment than gas-powered cars.
• 59 percent say electric vehicles will save them money over the lifetime of the vehicle.

But many myths and misconceptions remain, including potentially dangerous misunderstandings:

• 33 percent of Americans mistakenly believe lithium-ion batteries can be recycled in the household recycling bin.
• More than one-quarter of Americans (27 percent) think it is ok to put used lithium-ion batteries in household trash.

"For the record, lithium-ion batteries should never be put in the trash or the household recycling bin, but these survey responses help explain why we sometimes see fires and explosions in waste management facilities and recycling centers. Used batteries should be dropped off at authorized collection points, many of which can be found at the big box hardware stores," Lin said. He suggests checking the call2recycle.org website to find the nearest drop-off location.

Other survey findings

• 40 percent of U.S. consumers say lithium-ion electric vehicle batteries aren't really "greener" than internal combustion engines.
• 50 percent of U.S. consumers say owning an EV means they'll need to wait in long lines for charging stations.
• 53 percent of U.S. consumers think EVs are more expensive to repair.
• 47 percent of U.S. consumers think too many EVs will overwhelm the power grid.
• 41 percent of US consumers think electric vehicles are too small and slow compared to gas-powered cars.
• 51 percent of U.S. consumers say lithium-ion electric vehicle batteries don't offer as much range as internal combustion engines.
• 54 percent of U.S. consumers are concerned about what we will do with all these lithium-ion EV batteries after they reach end of life. 
• 48 percent of U.S. consumers think that EVs will cause toxic landfills full of old lithium-ion batteries. 
• 40 percent of U.S. consumers say the batteries in electric vehicles are more dangerous than the gasoline in internal combustion engine vehicles. 
• 38 percent of U.S. consumers think that lithium-ion electric vehicle batteries are sourced using destructive mining techniques.
• 45 percent of U.S. consumers think the U.S. isn't competitive when it comes to manufacturing lithium-ion electric vehicle batteries. 

Lin said the survey points to an industry-wide need for improved consumer education and outreach about lithium-ion batteries and battery recycling best practices. An executive summary of the survey results is available for download. Graphics and photos are also available.