Assessing the Compatibility of Vehicle Electrification With the EU’s Circular Economy Objective

The electrification of vehicles and the transition to a circular economy (CE) are important aspects EU’s strategy become climate neutral by 2050. However, compatibility between these two objectives is questionable. Indeed, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) used in most electric (EVs) currently difficult recycle due economic practical challenges. This recycling problem increases risk that end-of-life LIBs end up landfills. If so, CE would be severely punctured. Our study analyses how this potential inconsistency addressed at EU level focusing on three legal instruments, i. e., current proposed regulatory framework for waste batteries, End-of-Life Vehicles (ELV) Directive new Taxonomy Regulation. It observes while stands out imposing sustainability requirements battery vehicle industries, several shortcomings remain, such as lack specific provisions LIBs, inappropriate targets weak extended producer responsibility (EPR), which undermine credibility change mitigation EU. Vehicle Electrification, Circular Economy, Lithium-ion Batteries, Recycling, European Union, Zero-emission, Waste Electric Vehicles, Climate Change Mitigation, Sustainability