, Columnist
China's Giving Batteries a Second Life
It's a simple idea. But it may have profound consequences.
Second time's a charm.
Photographer: Krisztian Bocsi/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
China is hoping to become the Detroit of the battery-powered electric-vehicle industry. Sales of EVs are expected to reach 1 million this year alone, and the government has big plans for expansion. But this welcome trend comes with a perplexing side effect: China is now using up more lithium-ion batteries than anywhere else in the world. What to do with them?
Throwing those batteries away could be environmentally hazardous. Recycling them, meanwhile, turns out not to be very profitable. The solution China has hit on is simple -- but may have profound consequences for the environment.