• About Us
  • What is DfE?
  • Quienes Somos? (Spanish)
  • Safer Product Labeling
  • DfE's Alternatives
    Assessments Program
  • DfE Stakeholder Groups
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • DfE on Facebook!
• About the DfE Label
  • What Does the DfE Label Mean?
  • Which Products Have the DfE
    Label?
  • How to Partner, Get the DfE
    Label
  • DfE Criteria for Safer Chemical
    Ingredients
  • DfE Antimicrobial Pesticide Pilot
    Project
• Labeled Products
  • For Consumers
  • For Industrial & Institutional
    Purchasers
• DfE Projects
  • DfE's Alternatives Assessments
    Program
  • BPA in Thermal Paper
  • Flame Retardant Alternatives
    to decaBDE
  • Flame Retardant Alternatives
    for Hexabromocyclododecane
    (HBCD)
  • Flame Retardants in Circuit
    Boards
  • Nonylphenol Ethoxylate (NPE)
    Surfactants
  • Alternatives to Certain Phthalates
  • DfE Life-Cycle Assessments
  • Lithium-ion Batteries &
    Nanotechnology
  • Safer Detergents Stewardship
    Initiative
  • DfE's Best Practices Partnerships
• Resources
  • Publications
  • CleanGredients® (database
    of safer ingredients)

Lithium-ion Batteries and Nanotechnology for Electric Vehicles Partnership

About This Project | Publications | Partners

This partnership was led by EPA's Design for the Environment (DfE) Program, in the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, and the National Risk Management Research Laboratory, in EPA's Office of Research and Development.

The partnership conducted a screening-level life-cycle assessment (LCA) of currently manufactured lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery technologies for electric vehicles, and a next generation battery component (anode) that uses single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) technology.

A quantitative environmental LCA of Li-ion batteries was conducted using primary data from both battery manufacturers and recyclers--and the nanotechnology anode currently being researched for next-generation batteries.

This type of study had not been previously conducted, and was needed to help grow the advanced-vehicle battery industry in a more environmentally responsible and efficient way. The LCA results are expected to mitigate current and future impacts and risks by helping battery manufacturers and suppliers identify which materials and processes are likely to pose the greatest impacts or potential risks to public health or the environment throughout the life cycle of their products. The draft study identifies opportunities for environmental improvement, and can inform design changes that will result in the use of less toxic materials and reduced overall environmental impacts, and increased energy efficiency.

The opportunities for improving the environmental profile of Li-ion batteries for plug-in and electric vehicles identified in the draft LCA study have the potential to drive a significant reduction of potential environmental impacts and risks, given that advanced batteries are an emerging and growing technology.

The study also demonstrates how the life-cycle impacts of an emerging technology and novel application of nanomaterials (i.e., the SWCNT anode) can be assessed before the technology is mature, and provides a benchmark for future life-cycle assessments of this technology. Opportunities for reducing environmental and human health impacts throughout the life cycle of the Li-ion battery should be identified on a regular basis, to promote continuous environmental improvement as the technology evolves and the market share for electric vehicles expands.

Get more information on the project.