Energy Transition Minerals Hub

Your hub for information on energy transition minerals resources, articles, updates and more. We’ll continue to update it, so check back later for more information.

The transition to electric transportation offers an incredible opportunity to create a circular battery economy — one where end-of-life EV batteries are reused, repurposed, or recycled. Batteries are among the most valuable parts of an electric vehicle, and building pathways for them once they are no longer powering a car helps us retain these valuable materials and reduce the need for new mineral extraction.

Like most batteries, EV batteries are made primarily of energy transition minerals (ETMs), sometimes called “critical minerals.”

Transportation is currently the single largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the U.S., making it a key area to address in the immediate future. Electric vehicles (EVs), powered by rechargeable batteries, are essential tools for reducing these emissions. For EVs to be an ethical and sustainable solution, they must be produced as efficiently and responsibly as possible, and we need pathways for end-of-life batteries to support long-term electrification. To achieve the necessary emissions reductions, avoid the worst impacts of climate change, and make generational improvements to our transportation system and supply chain, the EV transition must be paired with other strategies that reduce demand for battery materials and expand mobility options.

Powering the future of transportation

Electric vehicles are key to creating a more sustainable and equitable transportation future. Plug In America supports reducing demand, reusing batteries, recycling used batteries, and responsible mineral sourcing to minimize transportation electrification’s environmental and social impacts. The chart above demonstrates the importance of creating an ethical and sustainable battery supply chain, read more about it here.