A Material Flow Analysis of Electric Vehicle Lithium-ion Batteries: Sustainable Supply Chain Management Strategies

Hyeong-Jin Choi, Minjung Kim, Hyung Joo Roh, Donggun Hwang (), Young-Sam Yoon, Young-Yeul Kang and Tae-Wan Jeon
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Hyeong-Jin Choi: Resource Recirculation Research Division, National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon 22689, Republic of Korea
Minjung Kim: Emerging Waste to Resource Research Division, National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon 22689, Republic of Korea
Hyung Joo Roh: Program in Circular Economy Environmental System, Graduate School, Inha University, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea
Donggun Hwang: Emerging Waste to Resource Research Division, National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon 22689, Republic of Korea
Young-Sam Yoon: Resource Recirculation Research Division, National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon 22689, Republic of Korea
Young-Yeul Kang: Resource Recirculation Research Division, National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon 22689, Republic of Korea
Tae-Wan Jeon: Resource Recirculation Research Division, National Institute of Environmental Research, Incheon 22689, Republic of Korea

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 10, 1-18

Abstract: The increasing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) has highlighted the need for sustainable lithium-ion battery (LIB) management. This study presents a material flow analysis (MFA) of EV LIBs in the Republic of Korea (RoK), using both a mass-based MFA and a substance flow analysis (SFA). The analysis defines 33 systems and 170 flows across the manufacturing, consumption, discharge and collection, and treatment stages, based on national statistics and data from 11 commercial facilities. In 2022, about 72,446 t of EV LIBs entered the consumption stage through new vehicle sales and battery replacements. However, domestic recovery was limited, as approximately 76.5% of used EVs were exported, reducing the volume of batteries available for recycling. The SFA, focusing on nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), manganese (Mn), and lithium (Li), showed recovery rates of 69% for Ni, 80% for Co, 1% for Mn, and 80% for Li. Mn was not recovered because its low market price made the recovery process economically impractical. Additional losses occurred from the incineration of separators containing black mass and lithium discharged through wastewater. These findings offer data-driven insights to improve recovery efficiency, guide policy, and enhance the circularity of EV LIB management in the RoK.

Keywords: electric vehicle (EV); lithium-ion battery (LIB); material flow analysis (MFA); battery management; sustainable battery supply chain; resource recovery (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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