New Electric Vehicle Information Brief Educates Policymakers on Need for Battery Investment to Aid Electric Vehicle, Hybrid Transition

WASHINGTON, March 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A new, online information brief to aid policymakers in their funding decisions for advanced battery R&D was published today by Essential Energy Everyday, the communications initiative of Battery Council International (BCI).  It is designed to be a primer on the role of batteries in the full range of electric vehicles (EVs) from cars which use start-stop technology through mild- and plug-in hybrids to full EVs.

Titled "Electric Vehicles and Autonomous Vehicles," the brief explains that all EVs require one or multiple 12V low-voltage batteries, which almost always are 12V lead batteries. Lead batteries are regarded as the most sustainable battery technology due to their nearly 100% recycling rate and a domestic closed-loop manufacturing system that helps meet growing U.S. battery demand.  

Written with policymakers in mind, the brief explains why lead batteries are poised to be an essential part of the synergistic battery chemistries needed to electrify transportation. The document also conveys how a lead battery's domestic sustainability is particularly relevant, given President Biden's State of the Union address on March 1 calling for products to be made in America. The brief will also be helpful to academics and industry analysts interested in learning more about the mix of batteries needed for EVs.

"President Biden called for an end to relying on foreign supply chains, and we are proud of our industry's existing domestic infrastructure that meets more than 90% of the domestic lead battery demand," said Roger Miksad, BCI executive vice president. "Our circular supply chain meets the call to build products from beginning to end in the U.S., and is critical to meet the mix of battery technologies EVs require, including a 12V low-voltage lead battery for virtually all nonmotive electrical functions."

Lead Batteries in EVs

The quick-read information brief uses current data and interesting visual graphics to address:

• Factors driving the move from internal combustion engines (ICE) to EVs
• Five vehicle electrification platforms and the role of batteries (lead and lithium-ion) in each
• How lead batteries are bridging transition from ICE autos to EVs
• Lead battery sustainability benefits
• Lead batteries in EV and hybrid charging stations

Additional Resource: New, 20-Minute Webinar

Policymakers can take a deeper dive with access to EEE's recently released on-demand webinar, "Vehicle Electrification and the Role of Batteries." The 20-minute session features leaders from major battery manufacturers discussing the role of advanced batteries in the evolution from ICE autos to fully electric and autonomous vehicles, and the hybrids in between. The discussion is integral to federal policy conversations and investments in battery research that will shape the country's transportation and energy future.

"Lead batteries are essential to energy independence for our country. That includes reducing reliance on fossil fuels and accelerating the move to an electrified car parc," Miksad added. "Made-in-America lead batteries, which are also the most sustainable battery technology, can help mitigate climate change and secure energy independence for our country."

About Essential Energy Everyday

Essential Energy Everyday is a communications initiative to increase awareness of the critical importance of lead batteries in powering our daily lives. It encourages continued investment in sustainable lead battery technology to store and provide energy on demand. The initiative is supported by Battery Council International, a North American trade association that represents the lead battery and lead recycling industries.

SOURCE Battery Council International; Essential Energy Everyday